Whether for safety or comfort, many Colombians continue to use the mobility applications to transport, an alternative that, although it is already part of users’ daily lives, continues to generate controversy due to the lack of clarity, guarantees and regulation.
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And a few weeks ago, following the announcement by the Superintendency of Transportation to ‘intensify the persecution’ of those drivers of private cars who operate through transport platforms, The debate on regulation has resumed. In addition, the union of digital platform drivers, ConduApps Co, which brings together more than 100,000 members throughout the country, has stated that this measure intensifies and aggravates the measures of the D-12 violation.
Deity Samai Camacho, president of ConduApps Co, explained that The D-12 violation consists of driving a vehicle that, without proper authorization, is used for a service other than that established in your traffic license.
It should be noted that this violation, regulated by the National Traffic Code, may result in immobilization of the vehicle. “Five days on the first occasion, twenty days on the second and up to forty days on the third.”
“Year after year, government after government, we have asked for regulation. We understand the problems that this entails with the different unions, that is why we have been in different working groups, talking about the need to propose regulation. This is a reality that cannot be ignored; there are many families who make a living from this work. We must build a balanced regulation that allows coexistence and respects our activity”said Samai Camacho.
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Mobility apps.
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For the union leader, there has been no progress in reaching an agreement, but on the contrary, the persecution of drivers has increased throughout the country. “The negative impact this chase has had is terrible for all app drivers, all regions are suffering. The discriminated imposition of the D-12 violation has become a tool with which traffic authorities persecute drivers. Without taking into account that we are part of the popular economy in the digital age”Said Samai Camacho.
In a recent interview with Portafolio, José Daniel López, director of Alianza In, platform unionstated that the dialogues with the Government to reach an agreement have not progressed and that the delay and pressure on drivers are a constant.
“All governments, including this one, have decided to kick the ball forward, for fear of a taxi drivers’ strike. Well, specifically to a particular sector of taxi drivers who oppose the use of platforms. But the truth is that there are already many taxi drivers who are using these apps to work. The issue cannot continue to be avoided, since in recent years the conditions of the game have changed (…)We believe that the way is to regulate, not prohibit. This is not a discussion that is only being presented in Colombia, but in many countries, since there are the same pressures and tensions, there are taxi sectors that are opposed, there are regulatory delays, but compared to Colombia there are other nations that have had the courage to address this issue. The country still refuses to regulate private vehicle service”Lopez said.
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José Daniel López is the executive director of Alianza In.
Alliance In
In order to know how the regulation front is progressing in the country, Portafolio consulted the Superintendency of Transportationbut at press time had not sent a formal response.
For his part, the latest information from the Vice Minister of Transportation, Carlos Eduardo Enríquez, in a speech, is that the authorities, including the Minister of Transportation, are “looking carefully if a new transportation project is going to be presented.” law on the sanctioning regime by the Superintendency” and that it has all the details “in order not to incur” a bad message.
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How much does it cost a driver to have his car impounded?
According to figures from ConduApps Co, on average, a platform driver can generate $3,200,000 monthly. Once the expenses associated with the vehicle are paid, such as gasoline, car maintenance, and health and pension contributions, the net income can be around $1,500,000.
“When the driver is given the D-12 violation, he or she may be left with zero monthly income or even debts, since paying the summons, which is 30 daily minimum wages, adds up to $1,300,000. To this we must add the cost of transporting the vehicle (on average $178,000), the cost of the patio ($111,000 per night), plus associated expenses, this can exceed on average $325,000, and which includes the day without income, In total, the cost for that driver can be on average $2,250,000.”explained Deidad Samai Camacho, president of ConduApps Co.
It should be noted that between 2020 and 2023, the imposition of summonses for the D-12 violation increased 76.6%, according to data from ConduApps Co.
PORTFOLIO
