Hundreds of Taxi Drivers Contract Coronavirus; ‘National Plan Being Implemented at Taxi Drivers’ Expense’

The CEO of Tehran Municipality’s Taxi Organization has announced that 302 taxi drivers in Tehran have contracted coronavirus.

Alirezа Qanadan, who spoke with ISNA news agency on Monday, April 15, did not provide detailed information about the condition of those affected, but said that “until the end of the disease period for these drivers and in support of this sector, a commodity basket will be provided to them.”

On the other hand, Morteza Zamani, CEO of the National Association of Urban Taxi Operators, told IRNA news agency on April 15 that according to statistics from “taxi organization bodies,” 400 people have been infected with coronavirus.

He said that among these, 22 people have died, with 13 of them from Tehran.

Based on these statistics, only 100 of the infected taxi drivers should be from cities outside Tehran.

To date, a detailed breakdown report of the number of infected drivers in various Iranian cities has not been released.

In recent days, with the implementation of the intelligent distancing plan, taxi drivers have been required to carry a maximum of two passengers in the back seat.

The CEO of Tehran’s Taxi Organization, referring to this plan, said “a national plan cannot be implemented at the expense of taxi drivers.”

He said that taxi fares have been set based on four passengers, and now that according to the intelligent distancing plan regulations only three passengers should be transported, the government must either pay the “additional fare” or “the fare for the fourth passenger should be equally divided among the other three occupants.”

Qanadan emphasized that if these matters are not addressed, the organization cannot ask taxi drivers to comply with the social distancing plan.

Source: Radio Farda