Government eases testing requirement for taxi drivers

Ljubljana, 25 February – Following protests by taxi drivers over the requirement that they be tested for the novel coronavirus every 72 hours, the government decided on Wednesday that, from now on, they will need to get tested only once a week. This also applies to drivers in public passenger transport and staff in railway transport.

The government said that taxi drivers would be able to operate their vehicles if they properly disinfected them, used face masks and got tested for the novel coronavirus with a PCR or rapid antigen test.

The obligation to get tested only once a week is also introduced for drivers in public passenger transport and staff in railway transport, the Government Communication Office (UKOM) said.

Taxi drivers will be also permitted to operate if they have proof that they have been vaccinated for Covid-19, and also exempt from testing are drivers who have recovered from Covid-19 and who produce a negative test no older than six months.

The trade union of taxi drivers welcomed the move, but said it was not a solution if they were left to their own devices to get tested, as the waiting lines were long and waiting means that they were losing revenue.

“We are happy that the government has lend an ear to us,” the trade union said, adding that this was a “good foundation on which we can build further”.

It hopes that the Infrastructure Ministry will continue to look for solutions for taxi drivers and enable them to get special treatment in testing, meaning special time slots, as of next week.

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