After more than 10 years of trial, Buenos Aires Justice ruled that app drivers must comply with taxi and remise regulations

In a landmark decision after more than a decade of legal wrangling, the Buenos Aires judiciary has mandated that drivers for ride-hailing apps must adhere to regulations equivalent to those governing taxis and remises. This ruling, issued by the Chamber of Appeals in Administrative Litigation, Tax, and Consumer Relations, compels drivers on platforms such as Uber, Cabify, and DiDi to obtain professional licenses and secure specialized insurance for passenger transport.

The protracted legal dispute pitted traditional taxi and remise associations against digital platform operators and their drivers. The former argued that app-based services operated outside the existing legal framework, unfairly impacting their businesses and passenger safety. Conversely, app drivers and users contended that the absence of specific regulations meant they could not be held to the same stringent requirements as traditional services.

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the service provided through applications constitutes a passenger transport service.

La Nación, a prominent Argentine newspaper, reports this decision as a significant victory for the established taxi and remise sectors. The court's finding that app-based services constitute passenger transport, even without specific digital platform regulations, underscores the need for minimum operational standards. The ruling also criticizes the City Government for its "omission" in oversight and regulation, suggesting that this inaction has harmed both traditional operators and the public interest in safe and orderly transport services. This judgment is expected to reshape the landscape of urban mobility in Buenos Aires, bringing app-based services under a more regulated regime.

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omission