Tuk-tuks have been banned in Santa Cruz, and parking on communal land will be fined.
The Santa Cruz government has banned the operation of tuk-tuks and parking on communal land, responding to taxi drivers' complaints about the unauthorized activity of these vehicles.
Tuk-tuks will not be allowed to operate in Santa Cruz – these are six-seater three-wheeled scooters that usually transport tourists for little money. The local authorities will also fine those who park on communal land, even if they do not do so for profit. This was announced by the Councilor for Mobility, Evelin Alonso.
This was her response to complaints from the "Elite" and "La Gremial" taxi associations. The taxi drivers complained that tuk-tuks had appeared in the city, and the authorities were not responding in any way. They threatened protests if the city council allowed tuk-tuks to operate, as they consider it an interference in their business.
Councilor Alonso explained that the city council had not given any permits to companies that operate tuk-tuks, although several such vehicles are driving around the city. She also spoke with the government of the Canary Islands, and they also assured her that they had not given permits for these vehicles either in Santa Cruz or on the entire island.
According to her, tuk-tuks have blue license plates with white letters, like regular taxis or tourist cars with a driver. This means that they must have certain documents to operate, but it is not yet known who issued them. Therefore, the councilor is going to contact the General Directorate of Traffic to sort out the situation.
Alonso emphasized that tuk-tuks are not only prohibited from operating, but also from parking on communal land. She signed a decree in November 2024 that prohibits this. Currently, according to her, there is only confusion and false information regarding the permits received.