AZE.US
Parents with small children in Azerbaijan say they are increasingly facing refusals from taxi drivers, with some drivers declining rides after seeing a child or a stroller at the pickup address.
Families with infants and young children say the problem has become an added burden, especially when drivers cancel accepted orders after arriving.
Some parents say drivers often claim there is no room for a stroller in the trunk. In some cases, passengers say they explained that the stroller could be folded, but the driver still refused the trip.
Drivers give a different explanation. They say the issue is not children themselves, but the behavior of some passengers who do not supervise them during rides.
Some drivers complain that children eat inside cars, put their feet on seats, stain upholstery or damage the vehicle. One driver said that after some rides, the back seat needs to be cleaned because parents do not intervene.
But transport experts say a child cannot automatically be treated as a reason to refuse service.
Transport expert Adil Nabiyev said refusing a passenger only because they are traveling with a child cannot be considered acceptable. At the same time, safety rules must be followed when transporting young children.
If a parent has met the required safety conditions for transporting a child, refusal of service may be viewed as a violation of passenger rights, he said.
The problem points to a gap in how taxi platforms manage family rides. Experts say apps should more widely introduce an option for passengers to request a car with a child seat, increase the number of properly equipped vehicles and make sure drivers know in advance when a passenger is traveling with a child.
If a driver cancels a ride after learning that the passenger has a child, the passenger can contact the taxi platform’s support service. If necessary, a complaint may also be filed with the relevant state authorities.
For parents, the issue is access to a basic urban service. For drivers, it is about vehicle cleanliness, damage and clear responsibility during the ride.
The answer cannot be random cancellations at the curb. Taxi platforms need clearer rules: when a child seat is required, how passengers should indicate they are traveling with children, and how both drivers and families are protected.
Until that system is clearer, the same conflict will keep repeating, leaving either a family with a child stranded or a driver counting the cost after the ride.
AZE.US