Santa Cruz Taxi Drivers Clash With Port Management Over Data Collection Demands

Tensions are rising again among taxi drivers in Santa Cruz de Tenerife over how operations are being managed at the port. The company Nogal, which holds the contract to organize the fleet and passenger services at the South Pier, has told drivers they must submit personal documents—including ID, insurance, and transport cards—by October 4. If they fail to comply, the company says they will be barred from the facilities and excluded from shifts.

The Taxi Guild (La Gremial del Taxi) has strongly pushed back, advising its members not to hand over sensitive information until the Port Authority confirms whether the demand is legal. Zebenzui Pérez, the guild’s president, argues that a private company should not have the authority to enforce such rules. The guild maintains that because this is a regulated public service, any restrictions on a driver’s right to work must be backed by an official resolution from the Port Authority—a document that has yet to be produced.

The dispute touches on serious concerns regarding data protection and administrative law. The guild has formally asked the Port Authority for the contract details with Nogal to see if the company is legally allowed to collect private data or block drivers from the port. The association warns that if these restrictions go ahead, they will violate labor rights, prompting legal action against the company and a demand for accountability from the port authorities.

The requirement, which was communicated via instant messaging, has left many drivers feeling vulnerable. The Taxi Guild is now calling for the immediate suspension of these demands and an urgent explanation of the company’s actual powers, insisting that the management of a public service must not bypass the legal protections afforded to workers.