11/06/2018
The demanding life of a taxi driver requires more than just a reliable vehicle; it demands a robust support system that ensures safety, efficiency, and continuous operation. In Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the Cooperativa de Taxis Las Palmas stands as a prime example of such a comprehensive hub, offering an unparalleled array of services designed to keep professional drivers on the road, earning, and thriving. This cooperative provides everything from essential vehicle maintenance and cutting-edge fuel solutions to administrative support and driver welfare facilities, making it an indispensable partner for the taxi trade.
Comprehensive Vehicle Care at Miller Bajo: The Heart of Operations
At the core of the Cooperativa's offerings are its state-of-the-art workshops located conveniently in Miller Bajo, specifically at C/ Luis Correa Medina, 17 and 19, within Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. These facilities are not just repair shops; they are dedicated centres designed with the specific needs of taxi drivers in mind, ensuring minimal downtime and maximum efficiency.
The Precision of the Taximeter Workshop
A taxi's taximeter is its lifeline, and its accuracy is paramount for fair fares and compliance. The Cooperativa's Taximeter Workshop specialises in the assembly, maintenance, repair, and pre-ITV (MOT equivalent) checks for both TAXITRONIC and HALE taximeter devices. This is a critical service, ensuring that every fare is correctly calculated and that vehicles pass mandatory inspections without a hitch. The workshop boasts an impressive team of two highly qualified technicians, one with over 40 years of experience and the other with more than 25 years. Their vast knowledge is continuously updated through specific training on new devices and metrology control systems, guaranteeing expertise. Beyond taximeters, they also offer complementary basic checks for essential vehicle components like lights and batteries, ensuring your taxi is road-ready. The workshop operates with convenient hours: Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 13:00 and 15:30 to 18:00, Saturdays from 8:00 to 10:00, and even Sundays from 8:00 to 9:00. For direct enquiries, you can reach them at 928 42 02 82, extension 5.
The Speed and Volume of the Lubricants Workshop
Lubricants are the lifeblood of any engine, reducing friction, sealing components, cooling parts, protecting against wear, and cleaning internal mechanisms. Recognising this, the Cooperativa operates a Lubricants Workshop that boasts the highest sales volume across the entire Canary Islands. This remarkable achievement is due to their exceptional facilities, which facilitate extremely agile oil and filter changes. With three operational lanes in the lubricants bay and an additional boxer equipped with oil aspiration and a pit, the process is streamlined for maximum speed. Crucially, they offer a dedicated TAXI EXPRESS LANE, specifically oriented towards cooperative members and the broader taxi trade. This exclusive service provides unparalleled professionalism and rapidity, featuring FREE labour for oil changes and the significant advantage of remaining open all day, meaning no midday closures. This continuous service minimises disruption to a driver's workday, allowing for quick turnarounds. The workshop handles changes for engine oils, transmission and gearbox oils, and also provides greasing services for components like bearings. It's also important to note that maintaining your vehicle at non-official workshops does not void your vehicle's warranty, provided the warranty period has not expired, offering drivers flexibility and choice.
Tyre and Quick Mechanics Workshop: Ensuring Roadworthiness
Beyond essential fluid changes, the Cooperativa's Tyre and Quick Mechanics Workshop covers a broad spectrum of services vital for vehicle safety and performance. This includes all aspects of tyre care – fitting, rotations, puncture repairs, balancing, alignment, and adjustment of camber and caster. Furthermore, the workshop handles critical braking system services, such as the replacement of discs and pads. For quick mechanical needs, they address suspension issues (shock absorbers, wishbones, bushes), steering components (ball joints), and transmission parts (driveshafts, CV joints, bushes, dust covers). Utilising these services can lead to significant savings, with up to a 70% reduction in labour costs. Much like the lubricants bay, this workshop features a BOXER TAXI EXPRESS service, guaranteeing taxis total priority, speed, and efficiency, thereby ensuring the minimum possible loss of valuable working time. This service is also available during continuous operating hours, reinforcing the cooperative's commitment to driver convenience.
Fueling Your Journey: Advanced Service Stations
A taxi's operational efficiency is directly linked to its fuel supply. The Cooperativa manages two strategically located service stations that offer more than just fuel; they provide enhanced fuel quality and economic benefits to their members.
Miller Bajo Service Station: A Strategic Hub
Located prominently in the most central and well-connected industrial estate of Las Palmas, the Miller Bajo Service Station is surrounded by a high concentration of businesses, particularly within the automotive sector. Following its extensive remodelling in 2009, which significantly increased the number of fuel pumps, fuel sales have seen exponential growth. This led to increased staffing and the computerisation of fuel return management for members. Both the Miller Bajo and Vegueta service stations exclusively offer a superfiltered fuel service, delivering tangible advantages:
- Improved Fuel Consumption: Cleaner fuel burns more efficiently.
- Eliminates Solid and Liquid Impurities: Protects engine components from wear.
- Greater Combustion Efficiency: Maximises power output and reduces waste.
- Reduced Environmental Contamination: Burns cleaner, leading to fewer emissions.
- Extends Diesel Engine Life: Minimises wear and tear on critical engine parts.
- Reduces Engine Noise: Contributes to a smoother, quieter ride.
- Improves Cold Start: Ensures reliable starting in various conditions.
Vegueta Service Station: Southern Gateway Convenience
Complementing the Miller Bajo facility, the Cooperativa's Vegueta Service Station offers similar benefits to its members, including competitive pricing, fuel returns, and the exclusive superfiltered fuel system. While diesel fuels with detergents and additives are beneficial for cleaning and improving engine performance, they can sometimes have adverse effects. The superfiltering process at these stations guarantees the purity and quality of the diesel, ensuring it enhances vehicle performance without causing harm. The Vegueta station boasts easy access, making it an ideal refuelling point for taxis entering and exiting the city from the south, as well as those operating in that area.
Beyond Mechanics: Convenience, Support, and Community
The Cooperativa de Taxis Las Palmas understands that supporting taxi drivers goes beyond maintaining their vehicles. They offer a holistic suite of services designed to enhance convenience, provide crucial administrative support, and foster a sense of community.
Exclusive Washing Areas: Keeping Your Taxi Pristine
First impressions matter, and a clean taxi reflects professionalism. The Cooperativa provides an exclusive washing area for taxis, ensuring vehicles are always in top condition. This facility includes a “SOLO TAXI” car wash train, reserved exclusively for taxi drivers and available at cost price, covering only the expenditure for water, electricity, soap, wax, and maintenance. Additionally, a “SOLO TAXI” vacuum cleaner is available at special rates. For those who prefer a hands-on approach, a designated manual washing area is provided, complete with free water for members and a dedicated bar for cleaning and drying carpets. This attention to detail ensures taxis are always ready for their next fare, sparkling clean and inviting.
Offices and Administrative Support: Streamlining Your Business
The administrative burden on self-employed professionals can be significant. The Cooperativa's offices serve as the central hub for managing and administering the entire cooperative. Here, the Governing Council, Management/Advisory/Brokerage services, and the Accounting Department share space, all part of a dedicated team committed to assisting, advising, and facilitating all administrative procedures inherent to the taxi business. Drivers are encouraged to consult them for any doubts, concerns, or procedures. They handle crucial administrative tasks such as the renewal of transport card visas, municipal license applications, and vehicle replacements. Furthermore, they offer practical services like photocopying, booking pre-ITV appointments, sending faxes, and providing financial advice. This comprehensive support system aims to streamline the bureaucratic processes, allowing drivers to focus on their core business.
Specialised Advisory and Management Services
Within the administrative offices, a dedicated Administrative Management and Tax and Labour Advisory service is available. This department assists with all employee-related matters, including drafting contracts and extensions, registrations, de-registrations, and modifications with social security, contribution bulletins, and payroll processing. They also manage various tax models, such as modules, retentions, IGIC (Canary Islands General Indirect Tax), quarterly declarations, and annual and informative summaries. Beyond standard tax and labour advice, they offer complementary services like adaptation to the Organic Law on Data Protection, Occupational Risk Prevention, Appraisal, Valuation, and Assessment Services. Moreover, the Cooperativa houses an Insurance Brokerage and a Property Management Service (for communities), providing a truly holistic support network.
Auto Parts Bazaar: Convenient Access to Spares
Unexpected breakdowns or routine maintenance often require specific parts. The Auto Parts Bazaar department stocks over 10,000 references of automotive articles, including original parts, leading brands, and generic or standardised items. If a specific part isn't immediately available, the team endeavours to source it as quickly as possible, offering members a special discount. Conveniently situated within the Miller Bajo facilities, the Bazaar allows drivers to browse for parts while their vehicle undergoes an oil change, or while handling administrative tasks, or simply taking a break. It's open continuously from 8:00 to 18:00 on weekdays and from 8:00 to 12:00 on Saturdays, ensuring parts are accessible when needed.
Cafeteria Bar Restaurant: A Hub for Relaxation and Community
Beyond the practical services, the Cooperativa fosters a sense of community through its Cafeteria Bar Restaurant. More than just a place to eat, it serves as a central meeting point and a place for conversation among drivers. The BAR C.P.T. offers a selection of sandwiches, breakfasts, numerous tapas, and light snacks. Its air-conditioned dining room provides a comfortable setting to enjoy daily menus, à la carte dishes, and delicious homemade desserts, complemented by a varied wine list. The venue's expansion and complete remodelling in 2007 transformed it into a welcoming and comfortable space available to all members and general clientele. It’s the perfect spot to refresh or refuel while your taxi is being serviced, embodying the cooperative's commitment to driver well-being.
TARAGRANCA: The Future of Taxi Dispatch
The Cooperativa de Taxis Las Palmas is also a participant in TARAGRANCA, a second-degree cooperative founded in 2006 alongside another major city taxi cooperative. Its primary aim is to provide a unified radio-taxi service, offering added value to both members and end-users. Members have the opportunity to join this modern control centre, which is at the forefront of technology, enabling them to offer clients a rapid, comfortable, and efficient radio-taxi service. TARAGRANCA provides multiple convenient options for ordering a taxi, including conventional calls, automatic phone dialling, SMS, web bookings, and dedicated apps for iPhone and Blackberry. Furthermore, it offers various payment alternatives, such as card payments, vouchers, and bonds, enhancing customer convenience and driver flexibility.
Exclusive Discounts and Member Benefits
For members of the Cooperativa and participants in the Tu Club DISA loyalty programme, significant savings are available. By redeeming Tu Club DISA points and presenting the redemption ticket at the workshop, members can benefit from excellent discounts on workshop labour and spare parts for braking, steering, and suspension services, provided the purchase exceeds €60. These offers can be redeemed at any DISA or Shell service station across the Canary Islands participating in the Tu Club DISA Loyalty Programme. It's important to note that these offers are not cumulative with other ongoing promotions at the establishment, ensuring clarity on available savings. The Cooperativa also encourages drivers to explore the advantages and savings offered by using nitrogen in their tyres, information which can be found on their website.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
To provide further clarity, here are some common questions about the Cooperativa de Taxis Las Palmas services:
Q: Where are the Cooperativa de Taxis Las Palmas workshops located?
A: The main workshops are situated at C/ Luis Correa Medina, 17 and 19 (Miller Bajo) in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
Q: What services does the Cooperativa offer for taxis?
A: The Cooperativa offers a comprehensive range of services, including taximeter assembly, maintenance, and repair; oil and filter changes with a dedicated TAXI EXPRESS lane; tyre services (fitting, repair, balancing, alignment); quick mechanical repairs for braking, suspension, and steering; superfiltered fuel at their service stations; exclusive taxi washing facilities; administrative and financial support; an auto parts bazaar; and a cafeteria/restaurant for drivers.
Q: Are there special benefits for cooperative members?
A: Yes, cooperative members benefit from exclusive services like the TAXI EXPRESS lanes (free labour for oil changes, priority service), cost-price car washes, free water at manual washing bays, fuel returns, special discounts on auto parts, and access to comprehensive administrative and advisory services.
Q: Can I use the services if I am not a cooperative member?
A: While many services are exclusive or prioritised for members, some facilities like the Auto Parts Bazaar and the Cafeteria Bar Restaurant are open to the general public. The Lubricants Workshop's TAXI EXPRESS Lane is also available to the general taxi trade, not just cooperative members, offering free labour on oil changes.
Q: How can I claim discounts at the workshops?
A: To benefit from discounts, you need to redeem your Tu Club DISA points at any participating DISA or Shell service station in the Canary Islands and present your redemption ticket at the Cooperativa's workshop. Discounts apply to braking, steering, and suspension services for purchases over €60 and are not combinable with other promotions.
Q: What are the opening hours for the workshops?
A: The Taximeter Workshop operates Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 13:00 and 15:30 to 18:00, Saturdays from 8:00 to 10:00, and Sundays from 8:00 to 9:00. The Lubricants Workshop and Tyre & Quick Mechanics Workshop offer continuous service with their TAXI EXPRESS lanes. The Auto Parts Bazaar is open Mon-Fri 8:00-18:00 and Sat 8:00-12:00.
Conclusion
The Cooperativa de Taxis Las Palmas represents a benchmark in comprehensive support for the taxi industry. By consolidating a vast array of services under one roof – from meticulous vehicle maintenance and advanced fuel solutions to essential administrative assistance and driver welfare amenities – they ensure that every taxi driver operates with confidence and optimal efficiency. Their commitment to quality, speed, and affordability, coupled with a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by taxi professionals, makes them an invaluable asset. For any taxi driver in Las Palmas, the Cooperativa is not just a service provider; it's a vital partner dedicated to their safety, profitability, and overall success on the road.
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