Taxi association plays fare after complaint to Bulletin

A British vistor to Majorca, who complained to the Bulletin about being “ripped off” by a Palma taxi driver, is to be reimbursed for the extra he was charged and the Taxi Association has reprimanded two city cabbies for their conduct. Gerald Arthur Rolph's letter was published in the Bulletin, edition number 11'236, on Wednesday, March 21 and yesterday the president of the Taxi Association, Julio Nieto, said that an inquiry was launched and that Mr. Rolph, of the International Travel Writers' Association, is to receive the 1'000 pesetas he was over charged on his trip from the airport to the centre of Palma. Nieto also said that the implicated taxi driver has been made to hand over to the Association the full fare charged of 2'700 pesetas, been fined and also given a severe “talking to”. “He has been made to feel ashamed of his conduct”, Nieto said. Rolph wrote in the opening to his letter “I am writing in hope that your paper might use its resources to correct a problem that is detrimental to visitors to your country....” Rolph said that while the meter read 1'720 pesetas, he was charged 2'700 pesetas. The taxi driver told Rolph that the extra 1'000 pesetas included the airport and baggage charge. Rolph paid the taxi driver, asked for a receipt and noted the number of the cab. A copy of the receipt with the taxi's number enclosed, was sent to the Taxi Association and Nieto said yesterday that he wished more clients with a complaint would actually take it up with his association, which is affiliated to the Balearic Federation of Transport Companies. “Sometimes it is very difficult to monitor all the city's taxi drivers, but with the help of people like Mr Rolph we can look after the best interests of passengers”, Nieto said yesterday. Nieto also stressed that when such complaints are received, they are swiftly looked in to, and, if a taxi driver is at fault, the situation is subsequently dealt with.