Error in Proposal to Lower Per-Kilometre Rate From €0.75 to €0.72
A proposed reduction in taxi fares in Madeira has failed after authorities found that taximeters cannot be reprogrammed to apply lower prices. The issue surfaced during a plan to update official rates per kilometre, including fares used in contracted services such as patient transport for the Regional Health Service of Madeira, SESARAM.
The proposal aimed to reduce the rate from €0.75 to €0.72 per kilometre. During technical checks, however, a mistake was identified that stopped the update process and raised broader concerns about how fare changes are implemented.
The proposal included a reduction in the price per kilometer, from R$ 0.75 to R$ 0.72. However, during the process, an oversight was identified that caused technical problems in the programming of the taximeter devices.
Programming Limits Block Meters From Accepting Fares Below Current Levels
The problem did not lie in taxi operations on the road, but in the internal software of the taximeters. According to the information disclosed, the devices cannot be adjusted to register a fare that is lower than the one already in force.
AITRAM, one of the associations involved in submitting the proposal, acknowledged the error and informed the Institute of Mobility and Transport - IMT IP-RAM. The association warned that it was technically impossible to change taximeter settings to values below the current approved rate.
Emergency Meeting With IMT Leads to Suspension of Inspections Across Madeira
Following the discovery of the issue, AITRAM’s president, António Loreto, held an emergency meeting with IMT Madeira. The meeting resulted in an immediate decision to suspend all taximeter inspections at the Madeira Metrology Laboratory.
The suspension also covers any interventions by certified inspectors and repair technicians. These activities will remain halted until new instructions are issued by the authorities.
New Agreement Amendment Planned for 5 February 2026
AITRAM expressed regret over the mistake and the disruption caused to the sector. The association announced that a new amendment to the existing fare agreement will be signed tomorrow, 5 February 2026, with the goal of correcting the error identified in the proposal.
Until that correction is formally adopted and new guidance is issued, taxi drivers in Madeira will continue to operate with the existing fares, while inspections and recalibrations remain on hold.
Source: Diário de Notícias Madeira
Comments