Miquel Àngel López, president of Radio Taxi Andratx in Mallorca

Miquel Àngel López, president of Radio Taxi Andratx. | Michel's

Andrew EdeAndratx08/11/2022 12:00
TW
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Miquel Àngel López is president of Radio Taxi Andratx. Reflecting on the summer season, he says that it was "excellent". "Andratx taxi drivers gave everything to offer a good service, and I think we achieved this. Some weeks were of course crazy, with more than a thousand calls a day."

He accepts that there were occasions when there were waiting times of between 20 and 25 minutes. "That's a fact, but it was always due to external causes." In this regard, he points to a shortage of hire cars, roadworks and traffic jams and also bus fares. He says that passengers "saw that it was cheaper to go by taxi".

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In Palma over the summer there were regular images of people waiting for taxis. López believes that these were because of a "zero efficient service". But these images merely added to a negative perception of taxis. López recognises this. "I would say that we have hit rock bottom. In terms of image, I think we are at our worst moment. But I nevertheless believe that, in general, it's not our fault, although there are taxi drivers who sometimes forget that, above all, they are providing a public service. In Andratx, we always try."

The agreement with Calvia whereby taxis from Andratx and Calvia can pick up in both municipalities has been "a success". "Without it, people would have had to wait much longer."

Of a new controversy, that surrounding the HOV high-occupancy vehicle lane in Palma, López thinks that it is "stupid". "I've used this lane a couple of times, but I won't be doing so again. Or not until it becomes easier to get out of the lane. I've been trapped without being able to enter a jammed central lane. It's a nonsense."