Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - The modernization of public transportation in Puerto Vallarta that we reported last week involves more than just improvements to the city's bus services.

Last week, Jalisco State Secretary of Transportation Mauricio Gudiño Coronado unveiled the new model of taxis that will begin operations in the Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta metropolitan areas in December and January, respectively.

The Transportation Secretary (Secretaría de Movilidad, or Semov) introduced the new model in Guadalajara, saying that the new cabs will be safer, with air-bags in the automobiles and taxi drivers required to undergo new testing for certification.

In Guadalajara, the new taxis will be gray with yellow accents, and in Puerto Vallarta they will be white with yellow roofs and lettering that reads, "Taxi PVR." The state official said the new vehicles will have a QR code on the windshield, which will not only make them easier to identify in the case of passengers' complaints or items inadvertently left behind, but will also solve the long-standing issue of "Pirate Taxis."

The objective, he said, is to bring order to public taxi service. To accomplish this, the first order of business is to ensure that all taxi drivers are registered with SEMOV. Before being registered, drivers must undergo a 4-week certification course, which covers everything from driving safety and emergency procedure training to basic mechanics and customer service. Registration will begin in December, after the courses have been completed.

Not every registered taxi driver will be able to afford one of the new vehicles, but in January existing taxis that belong to State certified drivers must be upgraded to include all of the same safety features as the new model, including the new paint job.

A revolving loan program has been set up by the Federal Government and the State will act as loan guarantors to bring interest rates down to below 9% and lower the cost of financing the taxi renovations and/or upgrades.

The Secretaría de Movilidad estimates renovations will be made to some 1,000 and 1,500 registered units in addition to the new vehicles, which are scheduled to be introduced in Puerto Vallarta in January. Existing car services currently operating without authorization will have the option to purchase existing permits to provide transportation service; but no new concessions will be granted.