Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Jan. 7 / Trend D. Azizov /
Uzbekistan has introduced penalties for violating the requirements of equipping taxis with uniform identification marks.
This is envisaged by the law on 'Amendments and additions to some legislative acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan' which came into force at the end of last week.
According to amendments to the Code on Administrative Responsibility, if the taxis are not equipped with uniform identification marks or prepared as a result of violating the requirements, officials responsible for the technical condition and exploitation of vehicles will be fined from five to seven minimal amounts of their wages. Currently, a minimum wage in Uzbekistan is 79,590 soums.
Passenger transportation in cases of wilful non-use of uniform identification marks by taxi drivers fully equipped with these signs in the established order, or in spite of their damage, is punishable by a fine from one to three minimal amounts of the wage.
It was previously reported that according to the decision of the Uzbek government on 'Measures of regulating the taxi activity' in early 2012, the taxis must work only upon the licence requirements and have uniform identification marks - yellow in the regions and ivory - in Tashkent. Moreover an orange TAXI notice must be installed on the roofs of cars in accordance with international standards.
Uzbek taxis also get special state series. The informational plaques about the driver and the shipping company are installed in their cabs. There are a number of innovations in the design and in equipping the taxi, as well as new requirements for their drivers.
According to the Uzbek Agency of Automobile and River Transport, around 15,000 taxis have been equipped in accordance with the requirements in the country now.
Last year, the Uzbek Agency of Automobile and River Transport together with the Interior Ministry and the State Tax Committee undertook 4000 raids to verify the requirements of the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers. These raids uncovered more than 41,000 violations made by drivers transporting passengers without a licence. Fines were imposed to the amount of 5.66 billion soums.
The official exchange rate is 1.985.46 soums/$1 on Jan.7.