Playa del Carmen Taxi Union Expels 18 Drivers Over Abuse Complaints

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — The union representing taxi drivers in Playa del Carmen has expelled 18 operators following complaints of aggression and mistreatment of passengers, its secretary general said.

Luis Herrera Quiam confirmed that all the cases involve drivers from Playa del Carmen and that the union’s disciplinary actions are independent of any legal proceedings that authorities may pursue.

He said every driver reported to the union for such behavior has been removed, part of the organization’s internal response to complaints from residents and visitors and an effort to keep those drivers from continuing to offer service under the union’s backing.

Herrera Quiam stressed that being expelled from the union is not the same as losing permission to drive a public transport vehicle. Licenses and permits are issued by the Instituto de Movilidad de Quintana Roo (the state Mobility Institute), not by the union.

“All those who have been reported have been removed — 18, only from Playa del Carmen,” Herrera Quiam said. “But we must not lose sight of the fact that licenses are granted by the Mobility Institute, not the union. Our role as a union is to remove them from the institution. These are two separate matters.”

Asked whether any of the cases have led to criminal investigations, Herrera Quiam said the union does not have precise information because complaints filed with the prosecutor’s office follow a separate track and updates are not normally shared with the taxi organization.