The Cabildo of Lanzarote has summoned the island's town councils this Monday to present them with the pioneering report Usage habits and image of the taxi sector in Lanzarote among the resident population, a public opinion study prepared by the Chamber of Commerce of Lanzarote and La Graciosa. This comprehensive study seeks to detect the strengths and weaknesses of the service, to promote its modernization and adaptation to mobility demands.
During the presentation of the report, the president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Oswaldo Betancort, who thanked the work of the taxi professionals and the involvement of the seven town councils, explained that this document should serve as a starting point to promote "a profound transformation" of the taxi service in Lanzarote, in line with the new demands of residents and tourists, and aligned with the challenges of sustainability, digitization and quality.
"We are facing a unique opportunity to position the taxi as a strategic ally of mobility on the island, but that requires vision, consensus among the town councils and a willingness to change," concluded Betancort, who informed the councils of the Institution's willingness to be able to decree sensitive areas in times of high demand.
The president of the Chamber of Commerce, José Valle, stated that "from the Chamber we defend our companies and value the work of taxi drivers, but when demand exceeds supply, we must act. It is not about imposing, but about opening dialogue, exploring solutions and leading change with responsibility. Guaranteeing sustainable and efficient mobility requires courageous decisions."
For his part, the Councilor for Transport and Mobility of the Cabildo, Miguel Ángel Jiménez, explained that this "study provides us with a very clear diagnosis: the current system does not respond to the needs of a modern and dynamic island like Lanzarote. From the Cabildo we want to help the town councils achieve a real transformation of the sector, based on digitization, operational improvement and greater island coordination," said Jiménez. In addition, he stressed that "it is about building shared solutions between administrations, taxi drivers and citizens, always putting the user experience at the center."
The study reveals that the current taxi service in Lanzarote generally fails. Users agree in pointing out waiting times, the difficulty in getting a taxi in certain areas and the lack of digital tools as the main areas for improvement to be introduced. When investigating specific factors of the service provision, the criticism is concentrated on logistics when there is a clear mismatch between supply and demand.
However, in aspects such as vehicle cleanliness, the service achieves an average rating of 6.8 out of 10, also highlighting the professional treatment of drivers.
Low digitization and lack of unified app
One of the most revealing data is that 56% still opt for the phone call and 41% take it at stops, with the digitization of the service being non-existent according to the survey. The absence of a unified island app limits the competitiveness of the sector compared to other modes of transport and generates frustration in both residents and tourists, the report states.
The study concludes that there are notable differences in the availability of the service depending on the municipality and the time, with night shifts and non-tourist areas being especially problematic. The Chamber highlights the lack of coordination between the different municipalities as a structural obstacle that prevents offering a homogeneous service throughout the island. The general perception is that there are not enough taxis on the island (45%).
Regarding the degree of agreement of the respondents on possible initiatives to improve the service, 92% consider it convenient that in times of high demand any taxi can pick up passengers from the Airport or the Port of Arrecife to avoid unnecessary queues and waits; 90% see it well that any taxi can pick up passengers even if they are in a different municipality from their own; and 6 out of 10 residents support the entry of Uber or Cabify, as a regulated complement to the traditional service.
