Ad hoc taxi strikes in Geneva

Geneva taxi drivers are holding intermittent strikes in protest as what they see as over-zealous police checks.

The head of the Geneva Federation of Official Taxis says they’ve been subjected to all out checks for the last several weeks – which can take 20 minutes. 

There are also complaints about the sanctions for minor breaches, such as one driver being fined CHF 400 for not having a no-smoking sign in his cab. 

The drivers also complain there are insufficient checks on other cars for hire, such as Uber. 

The strikes are mainly affecting the pickup areas around the airport and the train station. When one driver is being checked, the others will stop taking passengers. 

The police say they have stepped up checks on drivers, including Uber, to make sure the rules are being followed. They say they're also checking at the border with the agreement of the French police. 

 

 

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