Just one day after the ordinance that brings UBER and Bolt truly outside the law began to produce its effects, the Bucharest Traffic Police Brigade made its rule, and began to apply fines "on the lane". According to a press release issued today by the Road Brigade, no less than 16 drivers from UBER and Bolt have already been fined because they were transporting people through platforms, without fulfilling all the conditions of the law.
The drivers of the UBER and Bolt platforms were completely outlawed by an emergency ordinance adopted by the government more than a month and a half ago, eliminating a legal provision in their favor. Now the police no longer have to prove the fact that UBER and Bolt drivers carry out unauthorized transport of people repeatedly, and from the first offense they can sanction them with fines of up to 50.000 LEI, the confiscation of the car's license plates, and not no more.
UBER, Bolt, MANY drivers fined already in Bucharest
The fines applied to UBER and Bolt drivers vary from the lack of transport licenses to their use in areas other than those for which they were issued, and some had their license plates confiscated. Both UBER and Bolt have stated that they will support the drivers from all points of view in case they are sanctioned, even offering to give them cars in exchange during the period in which theirs will be unavailable.
16 car drivers were sanctioned for carrying out public transport of people under the rental regime with a car driver, without having a valid copy of the certificate, sanction provided by art. 7 paragraph (2) and sanctioned by art. 55 point 3), lit. h of Law 38/2003 on taxi or rental transport, with subsequent amendments. In the case of the last 14 sanctions, as a complementary measure, the suspension of the right to use the vehicle for a period of 6 months was ordered, by withholding the registration certificate and plates with the registration number.
It is interesting that in this scandal regarding UBER and Bolt, the Minister of Transport recommended the drivers to challenge the sanctions in court, saying that the emergency ordinance was not intended to block their activity. Of course, he could not say anything else because, probably, the promises made to the UBER and Bolt representatives were completely different, and the current situation is very serious.
Unfortunately, not only the UBER and Bolt drivers are affected by the situation, but also the customers, the number of cars on the platform dropping by 25% yesterday, the prices doubling, a situation that has even worsened today.
