Uber Sparks Taxi License Clash in Andorra Over Unified Dispatch Centre

Uber's arrival as a new mobility player in Andorra has sparked debate among taxi associations over rules for a planned unified dispatch centre. The first drivers offering "Taxi Uber" services—combining traditional taxi licences with VTC (Vehicles for Hire with Driver) authorisations—have appeared on streets across the Principat, highlighting tensions between government regulations and industry agreements.

A government decree allows drivers to hold both licences simultaneously, enabling them to provide taxi and VTC services. However, the internal rules drafted by taxi associations for the new centraleta, set to launch by 31 March at the latest, explicitly bar such combinations. Armand Godoy, president of the Associació de Taxistes Interurbans (ATI), confirmed the clause during a mid-January presentation of the deal with CityXerpa, the platform partnering on the project. He described it as a "minimum condition" to ensure no one is left behind and to avoid undermining the system, preventing drivers from operating on rival platforms like Uber to maximise client allocation through the central service.

The disagreement surfaced publicly at the press conference, where a taxi driver representing a group of four or five colleagues voiced opposition to the restriction. Godoy acknowledged ongoing internal resistance, particularly around prohibiting dual-licence use.

The unified system aims to centralise all taxi bookings via a call centre, a Taxi Andorra app, and a dedicated website. The CityXerpa alliance will prioritise taxis for standard rides, relegating VTCs to premium users. Bernat Altimir, CityXerpa's CEO, projected a 30% demand increase through digitalisation, based on initial estimates.

No further updates have emerged on the project's rollout amid these disputes.