Cuenca Taxi Drivers Threaten to Pull Off the Road — Movilidad Says That's a Crime
Cuenca Expat Staff
The Standoff
Cuenca's Coordinador de Movilidad, Alfredo Aguilar, went on record this week reminding the city's taxi drivers that pulling service as a protest tool is against the law. Per El Mercurio:
"la suspensión del servicio de transporte público y comercial está prohibida por ley"
And more pointedly, it "constituye un delito tipificado en el Código Orgánico Integral Penal (COIP)" — a crime under Ecuador's penal code (source).
That's a pre-emptive shot. No strike has been scheduled yet — but the drivers' union has been making noise, and the city wants to shut it down before it starts.
Why the Drivers Are Angry
Patricio Padilla, president of the Frente Unido de Taxistas del Azuay, laid out the math. Of 3,612 registered taxis in Azuay, "alrededor del 35 %" — roughly one in three — "ya no recibe este aporte" (no longer receives the government fuel subsidy).
The subsidy itself comes from Decreto Ejecutivo 306, signed June 25, 2024 by President Daniel Noboa. It currently pays out to roughly 84,000 transporters nationally — and it "limita la competencia de los municipios en este ámbito" (limits how much cities can intervene on the issue).
Two problems compound:
- Drivers who lost the subsidy are now absorbing full fuel costs with no fare increase.
- The payout to drivers who still get it "no se ha ajustado pese al incremento sostenido del precio del combustible" — hasn't kept pace with rising fuel prices either.
The result: longer hours. Padilla says drivers have gone from shifts that ended at 6pm to shifts running until midnight just to make ends meet — "de horarios que antes concluían a las 18:00 a extensiones que llegan hasta la medianoche."
What This Means for You
- No strike is scheduled yet. But the atmosphere is volatile. If you've booked a ride to the airport or a wedding or anything time-critical, consider backup options (Cabify, InDriver, or a pre-booked private driver).
- Expect fare negotiation friction. Drivers hit on margins tend to push for fare adjustments ride-by-ride. Use the meter when you can; agree on a fare up front when you can't.
- Cabify and InDriver remain active in Cuenca. They aren't affected by the subsidy regime because they're app-based private services — different legal category.
- Tip if you want to. Taxi drivers in Cuenca traditionally aren't tipped, but drivers this squeezed notice when you do.
- Don't blame the driver. The tension is between the Frente Unido, the national government, and the municipio — not between you and whoever's behind the wheel. Most drivers aren't happy about the standoff either.
If a service suspension does materialize, you'll hear about it before it lands. For now, taxi service in Cuenca is normal — but keep backup options in mind.
Source: El Mercurio
