New regulations for ride-sharing services in Mexico City could prevent a significant portion of residents from using those platforms.
Since late May, companies such as Uber are no longer allowed to accept cash fares. Drivers must register their vehicles with the city, and the vehicles must comply with specific age and quality standards.
These measures come despite Uber’s efforts to permit cash payments in Mexico, where many people do not have bank accounts or commonly use credit or debit cards. The transportation ministry in Mexico City issued the restrictions, prompting public disagreement from ride-hailing companies.
Services including Uber and Cabify warn that the new rules could reduce driver earnings, limit mobility for people who rely on cash, and create barriers to connectivity across the city. They also suggested the policy could trigger legal challenges, since it appears to conflict with a prior Supreme Court decision that had allowed cash payments under certain conditions.
Under the updated regulations, drivers are required to complete formal vehicle registration with local authorities, and meet age, maintenance, and safety standards intended to improve overall service quality. While the city frames these steps as consumer-protection measures, critics argue the changes may disproportionately affect low-income riders and independent drivers who depend on cash transactions.
Supporters of the new rules say stricter vehicle requirements and registration will increase passenger safety, reduce fraudulent activity, and provide better oversight of for-hire transport options. Opponents counter that many residents—especially informal workers and people without access to banking—will face reduced mobility and fewer affordable alternatives if cash rides are curtailed.
Industry representatives have expressed concern that forcing a cashless model could shrink the user base in a city where digital payment adoption remains uneven. Drivers also fear the added administrative burden and potential costs of registering vehicles and bringing older cars up to the required standards. Those increased expenses could be passed on to riders or lower drivers’ take-home pay.
Legal experts note that any enforcement that contradicts an earlier judicial ruling allowing cash transactions could prompt appeals or litigation to resolve the conflict between municipal regulation and higher court precedent. Until disputes are settled, the uncertainty may affect how ride-hailing services operate day to day and how riders choose to travel.
For now, residents and drivers in Mexico City are adapting to the new rules while companies, regulators, and legal authorities assess the broader effects on transportation access, public safety, and the informal economy. The outcome will shape how ride-sharing integrates with Mexico City’s larger mobility network and whether cashless policies become more widespread or are modified to accommodate those who rely on cash payments.