Santa Cruz Taxis Go Free March 1

Santa Cruz de Tenerife is set for a major change in its taxi service. From March 1st, all 675 taxis in the city will be able to operate freely, without the old calendar system that has restricted them for over a decade. This decision, reported by local media, aims to meet growing public demand and improve public transport, marking a significant shift in how the city manages its transport.

This agreement to scrap the old system, which used an odd and even day schedule to limit taxis on the road, was made during a meeting. Those present included Mayor José Manuel Bermúdez, the new Public Transport Councilor Gladis de León, and representatives from the taxi association Élite Taxi. The new approach will be a trial until the end of 2026, when its impact will be reviewed. The city council will soon vote to officially approve the calendar's suspension.

The city council explained that this move will allow the entire taxi fleet to operate and meet the many requests from citizens for more available taxis. Miguel Ojeda, president of Élite Taxi, added that ending the 13-year-old calendar is essential for the taxi service to keep up with the city's growth and resident demand, especially as the process of buying back taxi licenses is almost complete.

This new flexibility is just one part of a wider plan to modernize the taxi service. In October, the city council's Strategic Planning department will launch a new mobile app and a WhatsApp number for requesting and booking taxis. Atlantis Tecnología is developing this digital tool, which will undergo a six-month testing phase. It's hoped that this, combined with the removal of operating restrictions, will help taxis be better distributed and make the service more efficient across the entire city.