Four of Ibiza’s five town councils have commissioned their own studies to establish their own x-rays of the cab sector and determine the number of seasonal licenses for the 2025 season. All this at the same time as the study being carried out by the Govern which will determine the current dimensioning of the public service and quality, in addition to making an assessment of the available proportion of passenger transport vehicles, both cabs and VTC in the Balearic Islands. Among other points, the Directorate General of Mobility of the Government seeks to establish whether the number of cabs and VTC available in both high and low season is sufficient. In fact, until these parameters are not known, the granting of licenses for both types of service is frozen. At least until the decree establishing the “objective criteria” that define the granting of licenses is approved.
Own studies
The starting signal has been given by Santa Eulària, which, as advanced by La Voz de Ibiza, has hired a specialized company to determine the ideal number of seasonal licenses, with the aim of approving its plan “early next year,” they say. “Basically it consists of gathering statistical information on fixed and floating population, tourist movements, characteristics of the municipality, the public transport network and other elements and all other relevant information that can be obtained. With it we will try to determine whether seasonal licenses are needed or not and on what amounts it is estimated that would have to be authorized to try to provide the necessary service”, have detailed from the City Council. Three other administrations are on the same path, as confirmed to La Voz de Ibiza: Vila, Sant Josep and Sant Antoni. Although in these cases they have not provided too many details about the studies commissioned. “The City Council commissioned a study of the needs of the municipality and, once completed, the seasonal licensing plan will be carried out,” they have responded in almost all cases -more words, less words-. Meanwhile, from the consistory of Sant Joan have stated that “we are working on it” regarding whether to develop a new seasonal plan or extend this year.
What the new cab law says
Last February, the Balearic Parliament has approved the Law 1/2024 “Among other points, it established the suspension of authorizations for the leasing of vehicles with driver (VTC) and autotaxi licenses until the decree establishing the “objective criteria” that define the granting of these licenses is approved. For this, there is still a study study commissioned by the Govern to the company AIE Multicriteri-MCRIT, which includes a Questionnaire for Professionals of the Taxi sector of 28 questions through an online form. In this context, Law 1/2014 states that “a global study of mobility in the Balearic Islands is necessary in order to establish the criteria for granting new authorizations for both cab and VTC to provide service to both residents and visitors, making them compatible with respect for the environment and the management of traffic and public space.” In addition, it enables that “as long as the mentioned decree has not been approved, temporary authorizations, both for cabs and VTC, may be granted, with a previous report that justifies it, to cover the needs of the high season“. According to the study of the General Directorate of Mobility, between the years 2000 and 2022 cab authorizations have remained stable while the population has increased considerably, which translates into a reduction in the ratio of cab licenses per 1,000 inhabitants. Thus, in 2000 there was a ratio of 2.78 cab licenses per 1,000 inhabitants; in 2022, the ratio was 2.15. This decrease in the ratio is approximately offset by the increase in VTC licenses, which, added to the cab licenses, gives a ratio in 2022 of 2.78 per 1,000 inhabitants. However, in high season the population has increased during the year 2022 by 76.47% and the ratio has decreased to 1.57 cab and VTC licenses per 1,000 inhabitants.
Temporary measures
The same law stated that “the current authorizations are sufficient for the low season, and, for the high season of 2024, temporary authorizationswill continue to be granted according to the justification reports prepared by each competent administration“. Everything seems to indicate that this situation would be repeated in 2025, taking into account that the municipalities should have defined the seasonal plan before the end of the year to move forward with the granting of licenses in the first months.