Cuba Ends Ban on Private Taxis

Since Raul Castro took over the presidency of Cuba from his brother, Fidel, the world has been looking for signs of economic reform. This week, Cuba approved new licenses for private taxis, ending a nine-year ban. Currently, Cuba has a small fleet of government taxis, which, according to this article in the Christian Science Monitor, “are too expensive for all but tourists.” Fidel Castro offered private licenses in the early-1990s, after the fall of the Soviet Union. But that ended in 1999, although the ban hasn’t stopped people from using their classic American cars as taxis illegally. The Sun-Sentinel reports that residents welcomed the change: Taxi driver Jan Sanchez called it a “win-win.” New licenses should ease serious transit woes, help bus operators who now run unauthorized routes to become legal and boost revenue for... [read full story]