Vitoria-Gasteiz court rejects taxi drivers' request to suspend night shifts

A court in Vitoria-Gasteiz has rejected a request from 65 taxi drivers to suspend mandatory night shifts on Saturdays and holiday eves. The drivers sought a precautionary measure to halt the obligation imposed by a municipal decree, citing potential economic and labor damages. However, the judge ruled that these concerns do not outweigh the general interest of guaranteeing citizen mobility and taxi service availability during high-demand periods.

While the decree remains temporarily suspended through administrative channels, the City Council stated it has the necessary reports to restore its effectiveness and will soon publish the measure in the Official Gazette of Álava (BOTHA).

In a related move to address service shortages, Councilor Beatriz Artolazabal signed a decree to increase the number of taxi licenses in the city from 194 to 214. These new licenses will be granted through a public tender process. The council indicated that further licenses may be considered if evaluations show that availability issues persist.