10,000 new cabs roll onto country’s streets
The country’s taxi fleet should be looking a little shinier this year after more than 10,000 new vehicles began circulating on Greece’s streets since 2004 as part of a government program aimed at getting rickety cabs off the road. Transport Minister Michalis Liapis said yesterday that 6,278 taxis were replaced as part of the government’s 30-million-euro subsidy scheme in 2004. Three taxi companies also received funds for the renewal of 1,017 vehicles. The conservative government has wanted to modernize the taxi business – a pariah of the transportation system because of its reluctance to change with the times – since it was elected last March. So far this year, 3,200 taxis have been substituted with new cabs at a cost 13.5 million euros.
