Taxi transportation to vaccination centres will get second budget allocation of 120 thousand euros

The Municipal Executive votes the granting of a second fund to support the cooperation programme between Porto City Hall and Taxi operators as regards transportation to Covid-19 vaccination sites to Porto residents, on 26 July.

Councillor for Transports, Supervision and Civil Protection, Cristina Pimentel, advances the proposal of strengthening the fund to support the cooperation agreement between the City Hall and both Taxi Operators of Porto, táxis Raditáxis e Táxis Invicta, to transport people to and from vaccination centres in Porto, in 120 thousand euros, as an increase “of the demand for taxi transportation services” is expected due to the “significant increase in the number of people summoned to get their Covid-19 shot”, now that there is greater vaccine availability and the vaccination has been extended to other age groups. In addition, the new drive-thru vaccination centre of Queimódromo recently started operating.

The Municipality of Porto and the Taxi operators in the city have signed a cooperation agreement to transport people to and from vaccination centres, namely the Health Centres in the Western and Eastern part of the city. The service is available as of 9 March and it enables to travel to vaccination sites by taxi ride at two euros per one-way trip, and round-trips at 4 euros.

The population has widely adhered to this protocol and “there are monthly average increases of 20% as regards the demand from this type of transportation to and from vaccination sites”, emphasised councillor Cristina Pimentel. “Up to 30 June, taxis made circa 16.195 runs to Covid-19 vaccination sites in Porto, which means 83.595,90 euros paid by the Municipality to the taxi operators”, reads the proposal that will be voted during the next Executive Meeting, on 26 July.

This demand foresees that “the amount made available so far by the Municipality of Porto runs out before the expiry date of the cooperation agreement with the taxi operators”. It should be mentioned that the City Hall has strengthened the amount granted to this cooperation agreement in 60 thousand euros (which is equal to the amount that was initially granted).

Residents (and attendants) should call a taxi via the phone number 939 955 263. For each taxi trip, the Municipality of Porto will cover costs up to a maximum of six euros.