Norway, which already caps taxi fare rates in smaller towns, is now ready to cap the rates in its larger cities, but with a rate higher than that set for small towns.
The Minister of Trade and Industry told press that “A maximum price will give customers the security that they will not have to pay unreasonably high prices when hailing a taxi from the street or at a stop.” Cab fares in Norway are a mix of starting fare, price per hour and price cost per kilometre. The cap will apply to all three charges.
The maximum rate for cities—taxi operators are free to charge less—is a starting rate of 75.40 kroner, paired with a maximum of 16.70 kroner per kilometre and 10.90 kroner per minute. That translates to about US $6.63, $1.47 and $.96.
The new rate applies to local authorities where the population is over 20,000 and the density is greater than 80 people per square kilometre. That group includes Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, Tromsø and Stavanger.
