The initial fee for calling a taxi could become double to triple the minimum price for 1 km/course.
This is provided by intended changes in the Ordinance for Taxi Transport of Passengers, which have been released for public discussion. There is currently no minimum starting fee, and most taxis charge around 0,7 BGN per drive.
In Sofia, the minimum price for 1 km is BGN 0.77. This means that the starting price when sitting in a taxi will be between BGN 1.50 and BGN 2.30, and each company will choose its own tariff within these limits.
Another change provides for a cap on the price of taxis for long-distance courses. From January 1, 2021, a restriction is imposed on the tariff for taxi services outside the city limits of towns. It can be a maximum of 50% higher than the tariff for 1 km/course within the town, in which the taxi service carrier has set.
Taxis will have to have a light indicator on the windshield, which is controlled by the taxi meter, according to new tests. This indicator should have three horizontal lights – two red and green in the middle. The green will light up when the taxi is free.
The left red light will be on when it is busy and working on a daily tariff, and when there is a passenger inside and it is on a night tariff, both red lights should be on.
Applicants for taxi transport will submit documents only in the respective municipality, and it will move them to the ministry, another change provides. Then, if the circumstances change, the documents will be submitted to the municipalities again, instead of going to the ministry as before. No fees will be charged for changes in the registered circumstances.