AZE.US
Taxis registered in Sumgayit and other nearby districts may face tighter restrictions on operating in Baku as authorities seek to reduce traffic congestion in the capital.
Under the current rules, a taxi licensed in one city cannot pick up passengers in another. This means a driver who takes a customer from Baku to Sumgayit may have to return without a passenger.
The restrictions have prompted complaints from both drivers and commuters. Taxi operators face additional fuel costs and lost time, while passengers may struggle to find a ride, particularly at night and during peak hours. Fewer available vehicles could also lead to higher fares.
Transport expert Aslan Asadov said a unified approach to pricing should be considered for trips between the two cities.
“When traveling from one city to another, it is no longer an ordinary urban trip,” Asadov told local media. “The fare and the cost of the return journey must also be taken into account.”
Another transport expert, Yasin Mustafayev, said the restrictions are part of a broader policy aimed at reducing the number of taxis and easing congestion in Baku.
According to Mustafayev, nearly 75,000 taxis previously operated in the capital. That number has since been reduced by roughly half and is expected to eventually fall to 25,000.
“One of the requirements is that a taxi may operate only in the city for which it has received a permit,” he said. “Allowing taxis registered in Sumgayit or surrounding districts to operate freely in Baku would increase congestion.”
Mustafayev said the government’s current transport policy is designed to encourage residents to shift from smaller vehicles to public transportation.
However, the restrictions are already creating difficulties for thousands of people who travel daily between Baku, Sumgayit and nearby districts, with the impact most noticeable during late-night hours and periods of high demand.
AZE.US