Taxi drivers in Tehran are facing a new challenge; ٣٧٠ Ion vehicles have been left in parking lots in uncertainty, adding to their financial and operational problems. In the ٤٣٩th session of the Islamic Council of Tehran, Mohammad Akhoundi, the head of the Planning and Budget Commission, emphasized the need to clarify the value-added tax issues related to costs and revenues.
Financial challenges and fleet renewal
Ahmad Sadeghi, a member of the Planning and Budget Commission, asked the Taxi Organization to provide detailed reasons for the favorable and unfavorable revenues and expenses incurred. Ali Rahimi, the CEO of the Management and Supervision Organization of Taxis, referred to the increase in car prices and said: "The price of Samand, which was previously ٧٠٠ million tomans, has now reached over ٢ billion tomans. This increase in prices has prevented the delivery of ٧٠ purchased vehicles."
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Rahimi also announced that ٣٧٠ Ion vehicles remain in parking lots. He explained: "Of this number, ١٧٠ vehicles were damaged in the war and their damages need to be compensated. ٢٠٠ other vehicles are also in the process of being clarified." This uncertainty has exacerbated the daily concerns of drivers and placed them in a difficult economic situation.
Effects of rising car prices on drivers
Seyed Jafar Tashakori Hashemi, the head of the Urban Development and Transportation Commission of the Islamic Council of Tehran, stated that over ٦٠% of the taxi fleet is at the end of its lifespan. He continued: "With the continuous increase in car prices, which continues daily without brakes, drivers are facing serious financial problems." He also referred to the ٤٢% increase in taxi fares and added: "This increase is not enough and must be planned in a way that helps drivers while ensuring the community can afford it."
At the end of this session, Mehdi Aghariyan, the head of the council's legal committee, emphasized the need to reform the transportation development model in the taxi sector and said: "We must utilize the capacity of the private sector and create a supportive and collaborative environment for the renewal of the taxi fleet. Otherwise, taxis will become a commodity that citizens cannot afford to use."
Rahimi also pointed out the problems drivers face in obtaining bank facilities, stating: "Drivers face serious issues due to the lack of necessary guarantees for loans. We are trying to adhere to the law and will not allow a vehicle that has removed its taxi label to operate in the traffic plan."
Ultimately, the daily challenges of taxi drivers in Tehran due to rising car prices, uncertainty in the delivery of new vehicles, and financial inability to renew the fleet require serious attention and action from urban officials. This situation not only affects the lives of drivers but also impacts the quality of services provided to citizens.
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