The Transport and Communications Commission of Congress approved on March 30 a four-year extension for Law No. 31096, which regulates the collective taxi service. This decision extends the validity of the regulation until December 24, 2031, despite objections raised and the limit set by the Executive Branch for 2027. The vote was conducted with 8 votes in favor and 7 abstentions.
The law, enacted in 2020, aims to formalize passenger transport in collective vehicles, covering both M1 classified vehicles and those with greater capacity (M2), designed for more than 8 seats. Initially, a four-year validity was anticipated, with a possible extension of three additional years, always with the favorable opinion of the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC).
The commission’s president, Juan Carlos Mori Celis, defended the measure, stating that it is essential to ensure the continuity of the formalization process of collective transport, vital for the connectivity of many citizens. However, the law has faced criticism since its implementation, and in 2021, the Executive Branch filed a lawsuit with the Constitutional Court for its possible unconstitutionality due to violations of traffic regulations by these vehicles.
