Spanish taxi sector sees monthly license growth amid VTC competition

In Spain, the taxi sector has seen a localized resurgence in license numbers during August, according to data from the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility. During that month, the taxi sector added 522 licenses, compared to 359 for VTC platforms such as Uber, Cabify, and Bolt. Despite this monthly gain, the broader annual trend remains negative for taxis, which have lost approximately 3,400 licenses since January, while VTC platforms have added 2,848.

In Ibiza, the City Council is processing the creation of 13 new taxi licenses in Vila. The decision is based on a 2022 study by TEMA Ingeniería that used a mathematical formula: taking the number of fixed licenses from 2013 (134) and applying the 28% tourism growth rate recorded by 2022. This calculation resulted in a requirement for 171 licenses, and since 158 were already in place, the difference led to the 13 new licenses. This move follows the implementation of Decree 6/2026, which lifted a previous moratorium on new taxi and VTC licenses.

Taxi operators cite rising insurance costs, fuel price volatility, and intense competition as primary challenges to their profitability.