Police Seize Unlicensed Taxi Operating with Exorbitant Base Fare of 12,200 Forint
The Budapest Police Department (BRFK) apprehended an unscrupulous taxi operator in the downtown area who blatantly violated nearly every rule of the taxi industry, according to a statement on the police's official website.
During an inspection by a motorcycle officer in the 5th District's Erzsébet Square, the man was found to be operating a taxi service with a starting fare as high as 12,200 forint, a significant departure from the standard 1,100 forint base fare. His yellow Mercedes was marked with both taxi signage and an independent service provider label, along with a prominently displayed fare list that deviated substantially from official rates.
On March 16, the elderly driver was checked and claimed not to be providing passenger transport services, which was contradicted by external signs on the vehicle, including a functioning fare display, cash register, and POS terminal, as well as the presence of several passenger notices. Neither the man nor the Mercedes had the required permit to operate a taxi service, and the vehicle's technical inspection had expired over a year ago.
The police were not persuaded by the driver's defense that the taxi signage was only used to access bus lanes. He was fined on the spot for the expired technical inspection, and an administrative procedure was initiated against him for violating the rules related to passenger transport services. Due to the expired technical inspection, the vehicle's license plates were confiscated on the spot.
On March 16, the elderly driver was checked and claimed not to be providing passenger transport services, which was contradicted by external signs on the vehicle, including a functioning fare display, cash register, and POS terminal, as well as the presence of several passenger notices. Neither the man nor the Mercedes had the required permit to operate a taxi service, and the vehicle's technical inspection had expired over a year ago.
The police were not persuaded by the driver's defense that the taxi signage was only used to access bus lanes. He was fined on the spot for the expired technical inspection, and an administrative procedure was initiated against him for violating the rules related to passenger transport services. Due to the expired technical inspection, the vehicle's license plates were confiscated on the spot.
Translation:
Translated by AI
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
