Costa Rican taxi drivers were the latest group to join the worldwide chorus of protests against Uber, the ride-hailing service, in San Jose on Sunday (September 13).
Hundreds of drivers congregated in front of the Metropolitan Cathedral to voice their concerns and anger over what they view is a job stealing business.
“Uber has done a lot of damage at the national level to the humble families of taxi drivers,” said Ivan Urena, the Costa Rican National Forum of Taxi Driver representative. “It began in the United States, Mexico, Colombia and has been in Spain, France, England, Germany.
“It has come to try to steal the salary the means form Costa Rican families and we will not allow that,” he continued.
Local media reports Uber is charging customers half of what taxi drivers charge for fares.
As Uber’s business has expanded to 57 countries and its estimated value has exploded to more than $40 billion, it has faced increasing calls for regulations as taxi drivers in various cities have tried to defend their turf.
Taxi drivers in sprawling Mexico City have reported that demand has dropped by about 30% since the introduction of Uber into the capital.
“In a few days, we have had more than 30,000 Costa Ricans become business partners with our community and, at the same time, we have had hundreds join as business collaborators who have found in UBER an opportunity to start something and they are beginning to bring money home,” said the Uber representative in Costa Rica Rocio Paniagua.
The company also faces challenges elsewhere in Latin America.
In Bogota, Colombia drivers protested Uber in their country and witnesses attested to a an Uber driver being shot at by cab drivers.
