February 28, 2014. In 2013, 236 instances when taxi drivers violated the traffic code were documented in Sverdlovsk Region, including 78 cases when passengers were transported without a permit to offer such services, and 77 cases when taxi signs and symbols were used without authorization, head of Technical Supervision & Vehicle Registration Department of Sverdlovsk Region division of the Traffic Safety Inspection Alexander Porubenko said at a press conference in Yekaterinburg.

As for the first months of 2014, 74 violations of the traffic code were prevented among taxi drivers, including 27 cases of transferring passengers illegally and 31 cases of using special taxi signs and symbols without authorization.

'Besides, we carried out a multi-faceted inspection of the taxi business in the area in cooperation with the Transport & Communications Ministry for the first time this year. We uncovered 655 instances of the traffic code violations by taxi drivers, including 38 offenses committed by foreign citizens, 25 cases when a taxi sign was mounted onto a car illegally, and 31 cases when offenses were committed by drivers who had no permit to work as taxi drivers. Following this inspection, 10 administrative proceedings were instituted relating to illegal entrepreneurial activity,' Porubenko said.