Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Don't know the number of Uber Taxis in Panama but I never have waited over 5 minutes anywhere in Panama City. These car owners with Uber have to provide insurance documents, car titles, and all other documents. How many Taxis drive with expired plates and no insurance? I don't think Uber registration will let them run with out proper documents. I know they have to provide everything up front in the USA before signing a contract and when renewing.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
  • Moderators
Quote

Uber hits another Panama speed bump

uber-620x264.jpg
Post Views: 248
 
UBER has had another setback in Panama with the Supreme Court’s refusal to admit an appeal seeking to annul an Executive Decree applying regulations to companies that provide transport services through technological platforms.

The decision was made in an ordinary session of the plenary of the Court On Thursday, February 22.

Sources told La Prensa that the magistrates considered that Uber had to present its appeal before the Third Chamber of the Court.

The Government gave six months from November 2017 for the companies that offer transport service through technology platforms to comply with the guidelines of the Decree.

Vehicles that are part of that system must be registered in a list and the service can only be offered in the provinces of Panamá Oeste, Panamá, Colón and Coclé- will have to be done electronically (credit card).

Drivers must be Panamanians,  over 21  and have an E1 type driver’s license -given after having a minimum two years of experience with C or D-  type licenses and also present a clean police record.

 

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/uber-hits-another-panama-speed-bump

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
  • Moderators
Quote

Uber, cash and “luxury” cars

uber-620x264.jpg
Post Views: 160
 
Panama’s government has  given Uber another six months to accept cash payment from users

A statement from the company says the extension will expire on October 31

In the statement, the company highlights that they are working on alternatives that allow their users, who now depend on cash payment, to keep using  the Uber app.

According to an Executive Decree  signed on October 31, a period of six months was granted for the operators of the platforms (Uber and Cadyfi )  to adapt their systems and return to the collection of electronic ticket and thus eliminate the cash payment.

The decree also creates a luxury transport service offered through information and communication technologies (ICT).

The vehicles that provide the service must be in good condition, have comfort features, be registered in the list of vehicles of the technological platform, be  a maximum of 7 years old and have a maximum capacity of seven passengers.

T he service will be provided exclusively in the provinces of Panama Oeste, Panamá, Colón and Coclé, mainly for tourism promotion.

 

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/uber-cash-and-luxury-cars

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Twin Wolf Technology Group said:

The other thing that is odd is it stated... "The service will be provided exclusively in the provinces of Panama Oeste, Panamá, Colón and Coclé, mainly for tourism promotion"

Why is Chiriqui not included since it certainly falls into the tourism category. 

I talked with a yellow taxi driver in Boquete. He told me there are 2 Ubers in Boquete.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, TwoSailors said:

Not! I just tried to get an Uber and it came back with:  Unfortunately, Uber is currently unavailable for your area.

Well, I guess the taxi driver lied!! And, I REALLY DON'T CARE. LOLOLOLOLOL

Edited by Hil
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 11 months later...
  • Moderators
Quote

Cash payments for Uber get six-month extension

uber.jpg

Posted 01/05/2019

The government has extended by six months the option to pay cash for services provide through high tech platforms  like  Uber and Cabify The measure came into force  on  Wednesday, May 1,  and lasts until September 30.

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/business/cash-payments-for-uber-get-six-month-extension

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...
  • Moderators
Quote

Bill says Uber vehicles will have to carry logo and pay tax

uber.jpg

Posted 12/09/2019

Vehicles that provide Uber service in Panama will be obliged to place a painted logo on their doors, and  the hood to  "identify them definitively as a transport" of the company, says a draft presented by Deputy Cenobia Vargas, with the support of colleagues Aliana González, Petita Ayarza, and      Víctor Castillo, all of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) .

The bill also says that the Uber in Panama will have the obligation to pay a tax on the platform " to avoid unfair competition, with respect to other types of transport".

He also points out that the platform will only charge digitally, as it allows "the user a more effective, efficient, and modern system." 

In the explanatory statement, deputy Vargas points out that it is "unfortunate that on many occasions the transports that have special regulations are rented to non-owners, and likewise are rented to foreigners without the government having control of these deformations, that carry, insecurity, risks, bad service without the authorities being able to  date to control ".

The proposal arises amid the uncertainty that Uber is going through. Last week the platform warned that if the Panamanian government maintains the ban on cash collection, it would lose half of its clients and jeopardize its investments in Panama.

"We have a lot of uncertainty about our investment and our future" in Panama, George Gordon, general manager of Uber for Latin America, told AFP.

On September 30, the extension given by the government for transport platforms to charge cash ends according to Uber, of the 280,000 users it has,  could not use the service because they do not pay by credit card.

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/bill-says-uber-vehicles-will-have-to-carry-logo-and-pay-tax

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderators
Quote

Uber Regulation Proposed in Panama

The use of a certificate of operation, the identification of the car with Uber's logo and the fact that the driver has a type E1 license are some of the proposals that a bill presented to the Assembly compiles.

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

On September 9, a bill was presented to the National Assembly to amend "Executive Decree No. 331 of October 31, 2017," by which it is intended to impose requirements on drivers who provide the transport service through the Uber platform. See full initiative.

The proposal was born after the pressure exerted by groups of transporters in the country. A statement of the Assembly reported that on September 9 was "... given courtesy of room to the transport guilds that expressed their disapproval of dumping with the Uber service and pirate buses. This group asked the commissioners to intervene in the good treatment that should be given to people with disabilities who use this type of service."

You may be interested in "Collaborative Economy: Business Diversifies

In response, Congresswoman Cenobia Vargas presented an initiative. Vargas explained to Laestrella.com.pa that "... The proposal advocates that the company continue operating, but with some conditions. Among them, the payment of taxes, the use of a certificate of operation, identification of the service in the car and an adjustment in tariffs. We are going to present a draft that allows the competition of the transport sector to be equal. That those who drive Uber can obtain a type E1 license.'"

The article adds that "... Uber said to be interested in exploring a more inclusive regulation, which takes into account all users of the application, both those who pay in cash and those who cancel through electronic means. Currently, more than 50% of users pay in cash."

 

https://www.centralamericadata.com/en/article/main/Uber_Regulation_Proposed_in_Panama

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • Moderators
Quote

Uber and Legal Uncertainty

For the company's directors, the bill that seeks to regulate the operation in Panama generates "more uncertainty and affects the investment of multinational companies.”

Friday, September 20, 2019

On September 9, a bill was presented to the National Assembly to amend "Executive Decree No. 331 of October 31, 2017," by which it is intended to impose requirements on drivers who provide the transport service through the Uber platform.

The use of an operation certificate, the identification of the car with Uber's logo and the fact that the driver has an E1 type license, are other proposals that the bill presented to the Assembly compiles. See full bill.

You may be interested in "Collaborative Economy: Business Diversifies

Regarding the proposal, Gabriel Gutierrez, manager of Uber in Panama, explained to Martesfinanciero.com that "... The situation is quite worrying for Uber because of the legal uncertainty in which we are currently. We were not included, and although we were already regulated in October 2017 with a decree that was not ideal, since it includes geographic restrictions to operate and limits to collect cash, we have been operating within that regulatory framework."

Gutierrez added that "... The regulation has several sensitive points. First of all, it says that it is a regulation for the Uber system, but a law cannot go against a particular company; industries must be regulated. Second, Uber is being 'taxified' because drivers are forced to paint the cars and place the logo, the driving partners are completely at odds with this measure. These are private cars. And thirdly, we are being limited and restricting operations even more because before we were allowed to operate in Arraijan, in La Chorrera, in all of Panama City and in Colón, but with this draft we could only operate in Panama City.

 

https://www.centralamericadata.com/en/article/main/Uber_and_Legal_Uncertainty

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Keith Woolford said:

As of October 1st, no more UBER for cash.

A good thing imo, as it differentiates the service from Taxis and Tourism drivers.

 

 

Interesting.  In some parts of the world this practice would be banned since it's discriminatory towards people who can't afford to maintain bank accounts let alone credit or debit cards.

 

 

 

 

Edited by Siempre Soluciones
Link to comment
Share on other sites

38 minutes ago, Siempre Soluciones said:

 

Interesting.  In some parts of the world this practice would be banned since it's discriminatory towards people who can't afford to maintain bank accounts let alone credit or debit cards.

 

 

 

 

This is an impending condition of the License to operate being imposed by the government.

There are tens of thousands of taxis 🚕 which take cash.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderators
Quote

Uber cash payment option ends

0839B8C1-AFFA-4A4B-B104-15B6C09E5AEB.jpeg

Posted 01/10/2019

The Uber transport technology platform has notified its users that as of, October 1, it will "temporarily" suspend the cash payment option.

The notice enables the company to comply with an executive decree that did not extend the cash option. The platform said that, 280,000 have used the service and that more than half chose cash as their payment method. "This is because the penetration of credit and debit card use in Panama is less than 17% *, says the company.

It  adds that the right to pay in cash exists in more than 400 cities where Uber operates and it expects Panama to become one of them again.

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/business/uber-cash-payment-option-ends

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderators
Quote

Transport Platforms: Ban on Cash Collections

Since October 1, technological platforms dedicated to transport services operating in Panama will no longer be able to collect cash from their customers, therefore, payments must be made electronically.

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

The Transit and Land Transportation Authority (ATTT) announced that since enough time has been allowed, no further extension will be established for cash payment related to Selective Transportation fares through Platforms based on Information and Communications Technology, explains an official statement.

You may be interested in "Uber and Legal Uncertainty

The document reviews that "... In a note sent to the Minister of Government, Carlos Romero, the director of the ATTT, Miguel Martínez, points out that having completed the 6-month extension established in Decree 47 of 2018, it was not possible to decree a new extension, since by virtue of the provisions of Executive Decree 331 of 2017, the maximum period of extension had been exhausted.

The Director of the ATTT considered that the time elapsed since the enactment of Decree 331 of 2017, that is, 23 months, has been enough time for ICT-based companies to have explored, found and implemented alternatives for electronic collection and payment to replace the cash payment.

Martínez pointed out that not having found alternatives for collection has generated a permanent confrontation with the transportation sector, specifically with those who provide selective passenger transportation services and special tourism services, who are subject to stricter regulations regarding the provision of such services, thereby becoming unfair dumping
."

 

https://www.centralamericadata.com/en/article/main/Transport_Platforms_Ban_on_Cash_Collections

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A lot of poor Panamanian people don't have credit cards but yet pay a higher price for yellow taxis with cash. (they charge what they want to charge) Who is the winner (MONEY)? Simple answer-----yellow taxis with no meters. Medellin has metered taxis and it works well for everyone. I have found UBER the best taxi service with Cleaner cars, more amiable, dependable and the safest drivers. The poor people (LOSERS) suffer over not being able to pay in cash to Uber. The winner here is UBER AND THE LOSERS ARE THE POOR. The crooks in Panama wanted to make UBER leave Panama-----DID NOT WORK. Uber is a cheaper fare in Panama City on all routes. As usualy, the poor Panamanians get screwed. Uber's software on your cell phone tells you the price of your trip before you call them. Just as good as meters. UBER, does the vetting of drivers and cars. If you ever use one you will not go back to yellow taxis. Yellow taxis ( Panama City) are mob like operation in my opinion.

Edited by Hil
  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Hil said:

A lot of poor Panamanian people

A lot of 'the poor'  Panamanian people in the Capital are Taxi drivers, and they were around a long time before Uber showed up.

You want to replace Taxis with unmarked cars from the Uber platform and put tens of thousands of marginally employed people out of work so I'm not convinced that "poor people" are your concern.

Uber was meant to be an transportation option for those wishing a premium service and it was originally presented and marketed as such in Panama.

 

Edited by Keith Woolford
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

In my home country one way they banned discrimination of poor people was simply by banning businesses that only accepted payments using credit cards.  

 

One was a popular chicken restaurant chain.  Until the ban all poor people could do was gaze in the window and look at that chicken.  Or better yet wait for a lucky privileged customer to open the restaurant door and then catch a whiff of that amazing chicken.

 

I feel for the poor people of Panama without credit cards, watching all of those beautiful, clean, insured, Uber cars driving by and thinking to themselves what it would be like to enjoy a premium transportation option for less money.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, Keith Woolford said:

So there's no Amazon or other internet sales there? I feel for the people you left behind.

 

 

For Amazon or internet sales people without bank accounts or credit or debit cards just do what they've been doing for decades, purchase items using money orders from banks, pharmacies, etc.  In fact online retailers such as Amazon have also accepted their own gift cards which can be purchased at 100,000s of retail locations in addition to using the new Amazon Pay service which too is just as widely available.

 

There are countries that do not discriminate, I'm sure that Panama will do so eventually. 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote

In my home country one way they banned discrimination of poor people was simply by banning businesses that only accepted payments using credit cards.  

Then it beats me why you would leave that eutopian state for a developing country which you constantly deride.

Edited by Keith Woolford
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...