Kazakhstan blocks 70,000 right-hand-drive taxi accounts, targets illegal conversions

September 22, 2026 at 11:34 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Kazakhstan has blocked more than 70,000 right-hand-drive taxi accounts on inDrive, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov said at a government meeting on September 22. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Transport are now conducting raids to identify illegally converted vehicles. Bektenov demanded that violations be stopped, citing fatal accidents involving Toyota Alphard minivans on intercity routes.

Key Facts

inDrive Kazakhstan has blocked more than 70,000 accounts of drivers using right-hand-drive vehicles for passenger orders.
Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov raised the issue of intercity passenger transport on Toyota Alphard minivans at a government meeting on September 22.
The Ministry of Transport is preparing a ban on using taxis with steering relocated from right to left, according to Minister Nurlan Sauranbayev.
Right-hand-drive vehicles in inDrive are now allowed only for parcel delivery orders.
Minister of Internal Affairs Yerzhan Sadenov said the ministry is conducting joint raids with the Ministry of Transport and companies to identify and hold violators accountable.

Government Meeting

At a government meeting on September 22, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov asked whether the issue of intercity passenger transport on Toyota Alphard minivans converted from right-hand to left-hand drive had been resolved. Bektenov said that Toyota Alphard is originally a right-hand-drive vehicle, and its operation in Kazakhstan is already a violation. He demanded that such violations be stopped, citing fatal accidents involving these minivans on intercity routes. Minister of Transport Nurlan Sauranbayev said that amendments are being prepared to strengthen passenger safety and increase the responsibility of aggregators in passenger transport.

inDrive Response

General Director of inDrive Kazakhstan Aray Bekembayev said the service has disconnected more than 70,000 accounts of drivers using right-hand-drive vehicles from passenger orders. He said that after the ban, illegal conversions of these vehicles began, and the service identified and blocked all such vehicles by VIN codes. Bekembayev stated that right-hand-drive vehicles can now only be used for parcel delivery orders in the service. He added that there is zero tolerance for such violations, and any identified cases are immediately blocked.

Enforcement Measures

Minister of Internal Affairs Yerzhan Sadenov said the ministry keeps the issue under constant control. He said that the main work has been done, and now the ministry is conducting raids together with the Ministry of Transport and companies. Sadenov noted that there is a ban and a law, and violators are identified and held accountable.