Taxi’s are the main mode of transportation for many Colombians
Since March 16, 2020, the District Secretary for Mobility (SDM) has developed a series of actions in conjunction with the Bogota taxi guild to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and join other entities to decrease the speed of virus spread. .
These are part of the Pact for life with the union and the District Development Plan 2020-2024 in its purpose 4 to make Bogotá Region a model of multimodal, inclusive and sustainable mobility.
The actions include the issuance of three administrative acts on biosafety issues, four campaigns on biosecurity issues aimed at taxi drivers and users, which have directly impacted more than 300,000 people, two days of delivery of cleaning kits and self-care 10 thousand taxi drivers in Bogotá, inspection visits for compliance with biosafety protocols to the 53 taxi companies in the city, a virtual training in biosafety topics received directly by 1,063 taxi drivers in Bogotá, and two taxi disinfection days. which benefited 304 drivers and passengers of these vehicles.
1. Issuance of regulations on biosafety in taxi vehicles
On March 16, 2020, the District Mobility Secretariat issued circular 004 addressed to companies that provide the public service of mass passenger transport, individual service (taxi) and companies that rent skateboards in public space, on prevention measures and cared for by COVID-19.
In it, he made specific recommendations to taxi companies to clean and disinfect vehicles at least once a day , provide the vehicle driver with cleaning and disinfection elements, maintain good ventilation conditions during the provision of the service, remove elements from the vehicle susceptible to contamination such as carpets, rugs, chair covers, among others, and implement procedures to take drivers’ temperatures at least twice a day.
On March 25, through Decree 093 of 2020, the Mayor of Bogotá through the District Mobility Secretariat ordered the taxi companies to comply with said measures.
Aligned with national regulations, the District Mobility Secretariat determined in the city or by specific areas and times, the operation of Bogotá taxis only if they are requested through technological platforms or by telephone to the companies’ call centers .
Currently this measure operates for groups of localities with total limitations to the mobility of vehicles and people .
2. Promotion of biosecurity in the taxi guild
On April 23, the District Mobility Secretariat disclosed through a video tutorial ( https://youtu.be/kY8UsrAbFLA ), the instructions on how to carry out the vehicle cleaning process. This video was sent by direct mail to taxi companies to be shared with their drivers and was published in channels dedicated to the guild such as email, the newsletter for the taxi guild, instant messaging groups on smartphones and by networks social. To date, a reach has been registered in social networks of about 85,000 people with this information.
Within the actions to promote biosecurity among the taxi driver’s association, the District Mobility Secretariat released a series of seven graphic pieces that included the regulations expressed in circular 004 of April 9, 2020 from the Ministries of Health, Labor and Transport with protocols for drivers. They included actions to be taken into account by taxi drivers at the start, during and at the end of services, upon arrival home, at a Police checkpoint, regarding food and fuel tank. These were disclosed through specific channels with the taxi guild through companies, social networks and by instant messaging groups .
The District Mobility Secretariat made recommendations to taxi passengers with the biosafety measures to be taken into account when using the service, through an explanatory video of these ( https://youtu.be/yGknLJ6381E ).
It included recommendations such as trip planning, pre-taxi verification of passenger exceptions for driving around the city, use of the mask, the occupation of the vehicle with no more than two passengers in the rear seats, washing or cleaning the hands before and after the trip, do not touch your face during the trip and maintain social distance. This communication continues to be done through social networks with which more than 230 thousand citizens have been reached.
The District Mobility Secretariat reminded passengers and taxi drivers of the biosafety measures when making a taxi trip through graphic pieces and disclosure in the media:
– All occupants must wear face masks covering the mouth and nose.
– Only two passengers must travel in the rear seats.
-The social distancing must be kept inside the vehicle.
3. Delivery of 10,000 cleaning and disinfection kits to taxi drivers in Bogotá
On April 23 and 24, 2020, the District Mobility Secretariat presented the city with the pedagogical campaign ‘ Taxi drivers in #CuarentenaPorLaVida’, an initiative that invited self-care and the improvement of the taxi service in Bogotá, at a time when all we must take care of ourselves.
Within the framework of the campaign and in alliance with the RUNT concession, the District Mobility Secretariat delivered a total of 10,000 cleaning and self-care kits to taxi drivers in Bogotá, which included antibacterial gel, face masks and recommendations for self-care during the provision. from service.
4. Biosecurity inspections of public transport companies
Between May 18 and June 12, 2020, the District Mobility Secretariat carried out face-to-face inspections of compliance with biosafety protocols on 121 companies providing the city’s public transport service.
Of these, 53 were developed in taxi companies. Among the aspects to improve detected in the inspections were the verification controls for disinfection and cleaning of taxis, the registration and control regarding the delivery of provisions to drivers and the temperature control of taxi drivers.
5. Training 1,063 taxi drivers in biosecurity and self-care measures
On June 24 and 25, the District Mobility Secretariat and the District Health Secretariat trained more than 1,063 taxi drivers in biosafety protocols through virtual means.
The recording of the virtual training was sent to each taxi driver to be reference material and to be shared with other drivers.
6. Taxi disinfection sessions
On July 3 and 4, the District Mobility Secretariat, in alliance with the Street Brothers motorcycle club, carried out the professional sanitation process on 304 city taxis whose drivers were invited to participate voluntarily.
In these disinfection sessions, a call was also made for self-care by drivers and for the care of their families and passengers with good practices for cleaning and cleaning vehicles.
Taxi service in Bogotá
In Bogotá, the taxi service is available 24 hours a day and is provided under the responsibility of a legally constituted transport company duly authorized to it.
The service is individual, without subjection to routes or schedules; that is, the user sets the destination place or site and the route is freely established by the contracting parties.
In February 2020 the taxi guild established three pacts with the district administration.
- For good service: to win back users.
- For life: respecting users, cyclists, pedestrians and all road actors.
- For the renewal of the fleet: with clean technologies: with electric taxis and dedicated to natural gas.
The operation of Bogotá taxis in the framework of the pandemic due to the Covid-19 coronavirus in accordance with District Decree 169 of 2020 is provided in localities with total restriction of the mobility of vehicles and people, only when requested by telephone. or through technological platforms and for carrying out excepted activities and services, in accordance with the following table of restrictions by groups of localities.
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