Tue, 24 May, 2016 01:06:16 AM Proposed amendments to transport law FTimes- STT Report, May 24  File Photo Lehtikuva. A proposal for allowing operation of small-scale taxi service by anyone without proper licensing has sparked widespread criticism.
According to the National Emergency Supply Agency, it is important to use registered taxi network during exceptional circumstances.
The supply agency is one of the dozens of entities who expressed their opinions on Monday on a transport reform draft law. The reforms proposal next moves to the government for consideration.
Small-scale taxi operations could be permitted without a licence as long as the compensations earned are less than 10,000 euros per year, said the daft law.
According to the supply agency’s logistics manager, Raija Viljanen, it is important that taxi drivers and their vehicles are registered.
The most efficient way forward, in the agency’s view, would be to continue to require the operators to be licensed. Through authorisation, the operators’ backgrounds and qualifications are reviewed.
“Taxis are a very functional dispatch system. The aim of continuity of its operations is to secure supplies and land transport operations,” Viljanen remarked.
File Photo Lehtikuva. Many others criticised the proposed transport law reforms.
The Transport Safety Agency suspects the deregulation would impair road safety, while the Federation of Finnish Enterprises believes there would be unfair competition between small-scale and large-scale taxi operations.
The federation argues that the transport reforms would create two markets, where professional operators would have obligations not required of the small ones.
The Employers’ Federation of Road Transport (ALT) is concerned that the opportunity to earn 10,000 euros without an operating licence would distort competition and would give rise to a gray market.
There was also some appreciation of the reforms.
According to the national postal corporation, Posti, in some areas there are difficulties when it comes to finding licensed transportation service providers.
It is believed that it would be easier to find local sub-contractors, if licensing requirements and consolidation of transportation are eased.
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