Albucoop receives support from the Albufeira City Council.
Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, Taxis Albufeira has been at the forefront of providing light passenger transport services and community-focused services. The municipality of Albufeira granted €94,500 in support to Albucoop to minimize losses caused by Covid-19 and to support the cooperative’s entrepreneurs.
Since March, Albucoop has been taking measures to minimize the loss of income for its members and encourage the resumption of activity by providing logistical support to taxi drivers.
The guidelines for public transport from the State Health Department were adopted, including hygiene and safety measures, maximum vehicle occupancy, and the distribution of masks, gloves, and alcohol.
In addition to official recommendations, measures were taken to reinforce more thorough disinfection of taxis, as well as the installation of acrylic partitions between drivers and customers. Albucoop also launched a solidarity initiative to help elderly and chronically ill people living alone.
Support from the Albufeira Municipal Council
The support corresponds to six months of quotas, relating to 105 taxi licenses granted by the Municipality, intended for passenger transport services for the population and tourism of the municipality.
For 35 years, Albucoop has provided passenger transport services in the municipality, “developing an activity that, due to its strong dependence on tourism, was one of the most affected since the beginning of the pandemic, that is, from mid-March until the end of June, taxi drivers practically did not work and even now the activity is far from the levels previously achieved, so the income of these people and their families is not enough to lead a normal life,” justifies the mayor of Albufeira, highlighting that this is another measure to support the population and the economy of the municipality.
“The support from the municipality corresponds to six months of quotas, relating to 105 taxi licenses granted by the Municipality,” intended for passenger transport services for the population and tourism of the municipality.
The president adds that, without any other state or local support to date, Albucoop is experiencing great difficulties, “since it survives on the membership fees of its associates, who, with the reduction in income, are unable to pay them, leaving the cooperative without funds to meet its normal expenses and, of course, much less to help its members during this difficult time, in which compliance with safety regulations exponentially increases the costs of the activity.”
Sintra, Condeixa-a-Nova, and Ponta Delgada are examples of other municipalities that have also taken the initiative to support taxi drivers, recognizing the importance of their activity’s impact on the community.
