The mobility platform Bolt has warned that the future Catalan taxi law “penalizes” users by imposing measures such as the mandatory two-hour pre-booking for VTC vehicles. This measure, according to the company, would cause an estimated 25% drop in the on-demand mobility supply in the Catalan capital.
To illustrate this situation, Bolt installed green folding chairs at emblematic points in Barcelona, such as Passeig de Gràcia and the Razzmatazz nightclub. The action, under the slogan #EsperaAssegut (Wait Seated), symbolizes the long waiting time users would face if the measure is approved.
“"Symbolically, we emphasize that the only innovation the new regulation would allow us is ensuring that our users at least wait those two hours comfortably."
The Director of Bolt in Spain, Daniel Georges, urged political leaders to collaborate with the sector to design solutions. The company maintains that the reduction in supply would especially affect residents, workers, and tourists in a city that already faces high pressure on its transport system.
Bolt warns that the reduction of transport alternatives will have a direct negative impact on key sectors such as tourism, nightlife, and hospitality. The company regrets that while other European capitals advance towards autonomous vehicle integration, Barcelona debates measures that “look to the past”.
