Dozens of taxis fined at Schiphol airport
Dozens of taxis were fined at Schiphol airport on Thursday for violations ranging from parking in the wrong place to not having the proper papers. The municipality of Haarlemmermeer, the Koninklijke Marechaussee and the Environment and Transport Inspectorate are teaming up to tackle inappropriate behavior by taxis, according to NOS.
Travelers at Schiphol are regularly harassed by taxi drivers and so-called "recruiters", who try to recruit passengers on Schiphol Plaza and then take them to a taxi in one of the parking lots. This is because their taxis aren't allowed on the official taxi spots for various reasons.
One person was arrested during this action for refusing to cooperate in the check. Four fines were handed out for violating the Taxi Act, two of which amounted to 1,800 euros each. Four drivers were banned from driving because their onboard computer software was not working properly. And 28 were fined for illegally parked taxis and not paying parking fees.
The parties involved are searching for a structural sollution to this illegal taxi problem. "It can not be that the Koninklijke Marechaussee is structurally deployed to tackle annoying behavior fo taxi drivers and -recruiters." the Haarlemmermeer mayor said, according to NOS. "They have other priorities, such as protecting the safety of the airport." The Koninklijke Marechaussee is a policing force that works as a branch of the military and is responsible for airport security, among other things.
