Colombia: Taxi drivers against app-based transport

By Lokman Ilhan

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) – Thousands of taxi drivers in Colombia’s capital Bogota are on an indefinite strike, protesting against mobile app-based private taxi services.

Taxis drivers complain that services such as Uber and Cabify are illegal in Colombia.

In the capital Bogota, taxi drivers lined up their vehicles on the busiest boulevards and streets, leading to traffic snarls. The strike had its impact in other parts of the country as well.

Drivers stayed off the roads in cities of Medellin, Cali, Bucaramanga, Barranquilla and Santander, as well.

Police fined drivers for blocking the traffic.

Some taxi drivers, who did not participate in the strike, were attacked by their colleagues.

Although illegal, Uber and some similar app-based services such as Beat and Cabify operate all over Colombia.

*Writing by Beyza Binnur Donmez