Havana, Wednesday May 13, 2009. Year 13 / Number 133
New regulations to counter the unlawful use of vehicles
In line with our efforts to reorganize Havana’s road traffic and public transportation system, the Provincial Transit Authority is herein notifying all licensed vehicle operators that a number of new regulations will be enforced as of next May 15, 2009 by state officials and authorities empowered to that effect against drivers who fail to comply the provisions of Article No.1, items j) and k) of Decree-Law No. 261 of May 1999 laid down by the Executive Committee of the Council of Ministers.
The said measures will be applied, albeit not limited to, the following violations:
- Use or allow the use of a state-owned vehicle for unauthorized purposes or to derive personal benefits deemed a privilege.
- Authorize or allow the use of a state-owned vehicle to carry loads or passengers without the relevant license to render such services.
- Use a means of transport or a vehicle drawn by animals that is not registered to the licensed vehicle operator or for purposes of rendering a service in a manner and/or area, or for profit-making ends, otherwise unauthorized to the said license.
- It must be pointed out that if the owner of a vehicle is found to have repeated this kind of behavior, his or her vehicle will be confiscated.
Moreover, state and private porters alike are thereby urged to keep their vehicles fit for use and have such condition officially endorsed by the proper Roadworthiness Check Certificate issued by FICAV (Road Management and Vehicle Diagnosis Enterprise) and refrain from making any alteration involving a major change in the registered data (for instance, placing more seats) pursuant to Article 204, Law No. 60/87 of the Traffic Code. They must also bear in mind that a Vehicle Operation License is a nontransferable document which, if issued to an individual, also has provincial or municipal scope for all kinds of services, with specific mention of the areas where the licensed driver can operate for personal purposes.
Finally, we insist that these and other measures intend to make our roads safer for vehicles devoted to carry loads or passengers and prevent their use in ways other than those required by the above provisions.
Provincial Transit Authority / City of Havana
http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/2009/05/13/nacional/artic04.html
Applying Measures in Cuba
against Unauthorized Taxi Drivers Tania
Salvador
Applying Measures in Cuba
against
Unauthorized Taxi Drivers Tania Salvador
|
Drivers and owners of means of transport in Havana who do not possess a license to operate as private taxi drivers will be sanctioned including the confiscation of vehicles. |
Cuban authorities will apply from this week on severe measures against
drivers and owners of means of transport who offer unauthorized rental
service in Havana.
Drivers and owners of means of transport in Havana who do not possess a
license to operate as private taxi drivers will be sanctioned including
the confiscation of vehicles.
The measure is directed at a number of automobiles that offer service
without being properly registered and authorized for that work.
The restrictions announced this Wednesday include drivers of state-owned
means of transport who use those means as a rental service or to enjoy
oneself outside of one’s work obligations.
The public transport situation in the Cuban capital, as in the rest of
the country, practically ground to a halt around 20 years ago and
afterwards began to progressively recuperate until reaching about one
year ago an acceptable level of service, although still not fulfilling
the total demand.
For that reason the government authorized about ten years ago the owners
of private transport to work as taxi drivers with their own means, but
this didn’t satisfy all expectations because active workers were
prohibited from exercising that service.
On account of the demand on the street the so-called “pirate taxi
drivers” proliferated who set about offering service without being
authorized, above all during the night and on weekends when the supply
of those authorized lowered.
The authorities decided two years ago to not persecute those who are not
authorized with the aim of allowing the population to have more offers
of service in a city that has doubled two and a half times in 50 years
and doesn’t have other alternative means of transport such as
streetcars, subways and shuttles.
But the quantity of unauthorized taxi drivers grew rapidly, including
beginning to reach into neighboring provinces and became a very
lucrative job in which owners employ other people to operate their
automobiles.
The measure that will begin to be applied this week forms part of a
large governmental campaign in all spheres against illegalities and
violations of established laws and decrees.
*Translated by Susana Hurlich
May 13, 2009, 6:28 pm
http://www.cubanow.net/pages/loader.php?sec=18&t=2&item=6990
|
| [http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/2009/05/13/base.htm] |