Cancun’s taxi problem: 3 things tourists need to know

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Despite ongoing efforts to regulate Cancun’s booming taxi industry, the number of taxi-related crimes in the sunny destination continues to rise.

Fortunately, travelers have more transportation options than ever before, making travel safer and more convenient. And with the full launch of the Mayan Train this summer, visitors can unlock another new mode of transportation, reducing costs and travel times.

With that in mind, Here are three essential things travelers need to know about Cancun’s taxi problems.

New report shows Cancun is home to the most fake taxi drivers in Mexico

A new report released this week by Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics shows that Cancun taxi drivers are among the most likely in the country to commit crimes.

The Mexican-Caribbean hotspot is home to no fewer than 28,000 registered taxi drivers. However, a large portion of the city’s taxi drivers operate unofficially, meaning they do not have the necessary permits to drive taxis.

As a result, officials say tracking law-breaking drivers can be challenging, resulting in more cases of scams overloadedwhich usually affects travelers more than locals.

Cancun’s growing fleet pirate taxis It is known to operate in and around Cancun International Airport, as well as the city’s resort zone. These taxis fall outside the scope of applicable legislation and may lack the safety features typically found in registered taxis.

Follow these tips when getting around Cancun

With Cancun’s visitor numbers skyrocketing in 2024, taxis will continue to play a key role in transporting travelers around the city. By following the essential safety tips, you can ensure your next trip to Cancun goes off without a hitch.

Travelers can take advantage of the growing number of taxi apps in Cancun, which offer essentially the same services as taxis, at a more competitive rate. From Uber to OlaTaxi, visitors can find a number of applications that allow them to order rides and pay in advance.

Meanwhile, the new Mueve-T app, launching later this year, promises to further revolutionize the digital age of taxi services, offering affordable fares and greater competition to existing businesses. Initially, the app would be used in Cancun, but will later be expanded to other hotspots, including Cozumel and Tulum.

Most Cancun resorts offer travelers private transfers to and from their resorts. Visitors can take advantage of these shuttles to reduce costs and avoid exorbitant taxi fares.

The full launch of the Mayan Train later this summer will give travelers a major advantage in reaching their favorite resort hotspot directly from Cancun International Airport. So the days of expensive private transfers between hotspots like Playa del Carmen and Tulum will be over.

These new measures will make taking taxis in Cancun safer

A number of new measures are currently being implemented by Cancun officials to make the use of taxis safer.

Taxis in Cancun have reacted aggressively to the legalization of Uber – by far the most popular taxi app in the world – leading lawmakers to announce a new law to crack down on violent taxi drivers.

In 2024, law enforcement officials are increasingly fining taxi drivers and even revoking permits to make Cancun’s streets safer.

Officials at Cancun International Airport are also launching new high-tech security gates around the airport that use facial recognition technology to monitor the influx of taxi drivers into the area.

While all these measures are expected to help reduce the number of law-breaking taxi drivers in Cancun, travelers will still need to exercise caution when boarding a taxi in the coastal hotspot.

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