Hundreds of taxi drivers stage protest in Helsinki
Taxi drivers say fares have been falling for years, while rising operating costs leave them struggling to earn enough to make a living.
In Helsinki, around 100 taxi drivers, primarily working through Uber and Bolt platforms, staged a protest at the city's Olympic Stadium on Thursday. The drivers expressed their discontent over escalating operating costs and low fares, attributing the strain on their earnings to surging diesel prices and the prevalence of cheap ride offers.
Mahmoud Kappa, one of the protest organizers, highlighted that high fuel prices, soaring as high as 2.50 euros per liter, coupled with rides offered at notably low rates, could sometimes leave drivers with earnings insufficient to cover the trip itself.
The protestors' primary demand was for Uber and Bolt to increase fares by at least 15 percent and cap their commission at 15 percent of each fare. They also sought more transparent pricing, particularly for airport rides and during peak hours, and the autonomy to accept or reject rides without incurring penalties.
Suleman Rafaqat, a driver who has been in Finland for two years, underscored the difficulty in making a living under the present pricing system. He recounted instances where his working days could stretch from morning until night, yet his earnings could be barely any.
Attempts to reach Uber and Bolt for a response to the protest were unsuccessful as of Thursday afternoon.
Written by urgent.news from Yle News Finland's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
