Illegal drivers continue to carry passengers. There will be checks and heavy fines
Polish passengers using ride-hailing platforms such as Uber and Bolt may be transported by drivers without appropriate licenses, raising serious safety concerns.
Since June 17, new regulations on passenger transport have been in force in Poland, which aim to increase safety and regulate the transport services market. According to the amendment to the Road Transport Act, every driver providing transport services via platforms such as Uber, Bolt or FreeNow must have a Polish driving license and stay in Poland for at least six months. The topic was analyzed by “Rzeczpospolita”.
The scale of the problem
Despite the new regulations, inspections carried out in Warsaw reveal that over 25 percent of drivers operating on these platforms do not meet the new requirements. In many cases, these drivers do not have the required licenses to transport people, which raises serious concerns about passenger safety. The results of the inspections are alarming, especially in the context of the growing popularity of transport platforms in Poland.
In response to the results of the inspection, transport platforms declare cooperation with the authorities to solve the problem. In turn, control bodies, including the Road Transport Inspectorate, announce the intensification of control activities and severe sanctions for drivers who break the law. Financial penalties and even exclusion from the possibility of providing transport services in Poland are possible.
Consequences for passengers
For passengers using transport platform services, safety and the certainty that they are being transported by qualified and legal drivers are key. However, the current situation raises doubts and concerns. Experts point out that the lack of appropriate authorizations can lead to dangerous situations, both for passengers and other road users.
The future of the transport market in Poland
The future of the transport market in Poland depends on the effectiveness of enforcing new regulations and cooperation between transport platforms and control bodies. Increasing awareness among drivers about the need to have appropriate licenses and authorizations will also be key. Only in this way will it be possible to ensure a high standard of services and safety for all users of transport.
The new regulations are a step in the right direction, but their effective implementation requires the cooperation of all interested parties. Transport platforms face the challenge of verifying their drivers, and passengers should be aware of their rights and demand services that comply with applicable law.
