Mallorca taxis: Andratx and Calvia taxis to share their services

Andratx drivers currently have uniforms under a sponsorship deal with a restaurant. | Jaime Mora

Andrew EdeCalvia20/08/2022 08:58

The "enormous success" of a trial agreement between taxis in Andratx and Calvia to share services is set to make the arrangement permanent. The drivers see this sharing as the best way to solve the problems associated with high demand in summer. It follows some initial reluctance, but there is said to be "good harmony" between the taxi drivers from the two municipalities.

If Andratx and Calvia taxis effectively operate as one service, this would be the first example of this sharing in Mallorca. In the north of the island, there is an agreement between drivers in Alcudia, Muro and Pollensa, but this doesn't go as far as the Andratx-Calvia proposal. Regulations have meant that drivers can only pick up fares in their own municipalities, a system that contributes to delays for customers. A sharing scheme, of the type which exists in parts of the mainland and also in Ibiza, would allow drivers to use the taxi ranks in both Andratx and Calvia.

Radio Taxis Andratx says that its switchboard received nearly 26,000 calls in July, a number never previously reached.

Although services such as Uber aren't permitted in Mallorca, they do have their advocates - the president of the CAEB Confederation of Balearic Business Associations, Carmen Planas, has been one of the strongest. Agreements now being reached by taxi drivers in separate municipalities are in part a response to a potential change of mind regarding licences for Uber.