Ill-behaved cabbies to face fines, license loss
Taxi drivers will face fines of up to 1,800 euros for refusing to pick up customers and for overcharging, according to new reforms to be voted through Parliament this week and to come into effect in November. The Transport Ministry bill foresees fines for a string of offenses. The bill also outlines a point system penalizing taxi drivers for repeat offenses. According to this system, a taxi driver will lose his license for six months if he commits five offenses within two years and will have it revoked for a year if he offends 10 times. Cabbies who offend 15 times in two years risk losing their license for good. The fines rise according to the frequency of the offenses. Cabbies driving rented cars face 400 euros for their first offense, 700 euros for the second and 1,200 euros for the third. Cabbies who own their vehicles face higher fines, ranging from 600 to 1,800 euros.
