Isolating Capsule Added To Taxis

NOGALES, SONORA, MX – Currently, 15 taxis are using hand-made capsules to isolate drivers from passengers during the pandemic. By Monday, there will be about 160 taxis operating with this capsule.

Rogelio Ramírez has been a taxi driver for a year and it has been a challenge to work during the pandemic. He has realized that his clients have embraced the idea of ​​riding in the back while being “encapsulated”.

“This time is a challenge for everyone, but it has also shown us that we can move forward by helping each other and doing things well,” he said.

Francisco Mendívil Figueroa, manager of Amigo Taxi line, explained that the capsule, made of rubber and PVC pipe, allows isolating both the driver and the passenger.

He explained that they also opted to remove the front passenger seat to force the passengers to sit in the rear seat of the unit.

“We looked for ways to isolate both the driver the client. I first consulted with the Transportation Delegation and the Police chief since we removed the front seat. The state government recommended only one client per taxi and in the back seat”, he said.

“But sometimes it was difficult to tell the customer to sit in the back seat because some people do not believe the Covid-19 pandemic is real, so we opted to remove the front passenger seat to force the customer to go to the back”, he added.

There are already 15 units that have an isolating capsule, by Monday they expect to add it to all 160 taxis in the fleet.