In an effort to remove old taxis from the streets, Egypt’s interim President Adly Mansour signed a decree on Tuesday to forbid the renewal of licenses for taxis that are over 20 years old.
The law, which also applies to public transport vehicles, will go into effect after three years, when current licenses are set to expire.
Egypt’s government has long been involved with plans to improve Cairo’s taxis. In 2009, it launched a program to replace the older black and white taxis with more modern white ones. Drivers were offered attractive credit rates to turn in their old cars.
The scheme has been fraught with contentions and difficulties, however, with drivers frequently protesting the terms of the taxi exchange, along with complaining about the quality and safety of the newer vehicles.
Al Ahram