Airport taxis equipped with logging system for contact tracing

Taxi and Livery operators transporting arriving visitors from the TB Lettsome International Airport have been equipped with a detailed commute logging system established to contact trace passengers, should the need arise.

This is according to the Director of the Taxi & Livery Commission, Jevaughn Parsons who told BVI News the system has all the details of each passenger a driver transports.

“Every vehicle that leaves from the airport has a commute log. So whomever comes and is dispatched to government-provided transportation, the livery has a commute log. Even when they get on government-provided transportation to sister islands, that commute log is registered. So we know who goes with who, where, what time they get there and so forth,” Parsons explained.

“That is, first and foremost, the most important thing where contact tracing is concerned. So once we know who that guest is, we know where they went, and what time they got there. We would know their whereabouts speaking to the driver and so forth. So contact tracing comes somewhat easier and we would know whoever rode in the vehicle with them,” he added.

How it works

Director Parsons said every visitor is assigned to a specific taxi and these assignments are based on the location of the passenger’s prearranged accommodations here in the territory.

“It starts from booking your accommodations and booking your reservations to fly. You log on to the BVIAA portal, you upload your PCR test and other details of your flight. As you get to the BVI, it is then also a streamlined process. You do your testing at the airport, you come out, you pay for your testing before you even get into transportation and are dispatched to a vehicle,” Parsons explained.

“Once you get to the vehicle, everything is taken care of for you once you have your prearranged booking with the livery services. Those are here waiting for you as you get to the airport and also government-provided transportation is here waiting for you. So if you are going to a sister island, that again is accommodated for you, the boat is laying and waiting at Trellis Bay,” he added.

Taxis selected based on destination

Parsons said all rides for guests using government-provided transportation is free, as the drivers are compensated by the government for providing the service.

He said: “It is per your accommodation. There is not a specific taxi per flight, but based on where you are going, a specific bus takes you to that location. Livery services do some of the outer islands like Necker for example, they provide their transportation which have been sanctioned by the Taxi and Livery Commission who is in charge of transportation and government-provided transportation do some of the residents and even visitors that come and don’t have pre-arranged bookings.”

All taxis retrofitted with protective barrier

Director Parsons also spoke about the safety measures in place to protect all drivers operating at the airport.

He said both the Taxi and Livery Commission and the government have put mandatory protocols and guidelines in place that must be followed by all public transportation being used to transport arriving guests.

“We’ve created a safe space within the transportation. So once you come to work and do quarantine bus service (QBS), your bus is supposed to be retrofitted with a protective barrier. All of the livery services have them in. Those who we have approved have them in to work at these sites and that will also be carried on to the waterfront arrivals too,” Parsons stated.

He added: “Subject to the maximum capacity of the vehicle, you can only carry a certain amount of passengers due to social distancing protocols. Right now, on the ground, our max capacity for the buses that we have here is approximately six people. So if your max capacity is around 13 or 14, your subject to six or seven and groups of families ride together.”

With more than 25 scheduled flights during the first two days since the reopening of the territory’s borders on Monday, it is estimated that more than 200 arriving passengers were transported to their respective accommodations utilising either government provided transportation or livery services.