Allow us more licence plates, give us more stands — Taxi operators
Taxi operators are calling for more taxi stands to be placed across Tortola while others claim to want authorities to increase the number of licence plates allowed per operator.
These were among some the issues voiced at a meeting held with Transportation Minister Kye Rymer on Tuesday, June 18 in Road Town.
One taximan who operates both bus and taxi services said he believes most of the issues plaguing the operators will be resolved if more taxi stands are established across the territory.
“The largest village is in the east and there is not a taxi association there. I think there should be a taxi stand in Long Look and there should be one in East End. It is impossible for you to reach 600-plus taxi drivers with three or four taxi stands. We have more independent taxi drivers which you’re not reaching and some of those are the ones that are making the most violations,” he argued.
“But, if upon receiving your taxi license and the commission issues 100 taxis per stand, it makes life much easier because here it is you have a meeting tonight, you want to reach all the taxi operators but then you cant because some of them need to be still at work. So if you have other taxi stands in different areas and it is mandated to attend the weekly or monthly meetings then information is disseminated way easier and we wouldn’t have all of these problems here,” he added.
Allow us to operate more than two vehicles
Another taxi operator said he believes the law, which limits a taxi driver to owning only two licence plates, is preventing taxi owners from advancing their business.
“My issue is the limit of plates that are being issued for taxi drivers. I had a job from Road Town to Cane Garden Bay. I have two taxis and three people called me to go Cane Garden Bay and it started to rain and then I couldn’t get to Cane Garden Bay. So, right now, I am in need of [another plate] to do Air BnBs going down in those hilly locations but I am only limited to two plates. Is there anything in the making for taxi drivers to get more plates?” the operator asked.
In response, transport minister Rymer promised to look into the matter.
Meanwhile, Director of the Taxi and Livery Commission Dameon Percival explained that the introduction of a livery service was done to evolve the taxi business.
“The livery was put in place to be an extension of a taxi business. It means, you’re a taxi driver, if you are able to make an agreement with a hotel to transport their guests back and forth and you still wanted the independence having your taxi business, you can get a shuttle plate or you can then get a livery business, hire someone to drive the vehicle and then they can operate that one for you,” Percival stated.
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It’s not a business, it’s a scam.
Move over, UBER is the way forward
UBER OR LYFT IS THE WAY TO GO. IT IS TIME FOR THIS OUTDATED TAXI SYSTEM TO GO. UBER OR LYFT IS MORE SAFER.
While i am in agreement with your statement, the BVI would need better internet service in order for UBER to work.
So true, the Internet service is crappy in the BVI. Tired of calls dropping or buffering when you are trying to watch something on line.
Better to introduce a national bus service with a regular timetable.
Absolutely. It is a disgrace there is not one.
And what the taxi customer wants are clean , safe, inspected taxis with no overcrowding , charging by the journey not by the head, and meters that calculate fares.
Are you sure that you want meters that calculate fares?
Of course. We want to be Singapore
Check out their taxis
https://www.ausbt.com.au/your-handy-guide-to-catching-taxis-in-singapore
For who?
Dameon needs to go vip weak weak
needed to go a very long time ago
Get your own to head your departments.
GREED
D– want to run tourists in his school bus
What consumers want:
* Taxi drivers to pass an advanced driving test
* Taxi driver to undertake annual medical and eye tests
* Taxi vehicles to pass annual comprehensive inspection (i.e. seat belts, breaks, tyres, doors/exits to open to curbside)
* a bus service
I dont really understand what a taxi association is, but it seems like taxi drivers are given free government land to site a shack. Why is there not just one central number for all taxis, and one central dispatch and that drivers pay a small commission for each ride? It feels like the taxi industry is set up for the convenience of taxi drivers not consumers. Trying to get a taxi on a cruise ship day is a nightmare, no-one wants to do the job.
Also:
*Taxi drivers that are sober
The problem is he is only talking about the “issues plaguing the operators ..”. This needs a complete wing to look at it from the consumers point of view.
Needs a complete re-think and to make public transport more available and taxis affordable.
Government should allow non belongers hold a taxi license. A little competition can go along way to improve service.
You must mean that Government needs to revoke the many taxi licenses non belongers already hold.
Even Asians taxing in the BVI and don’t have a clue – Only in the BVI
you never been in New York?
How much people does New York have to move. Try using a navigation system in the BVI and see what happens.
We need to stop licensing Taxi’s that make Patrons have to enter and exit in traffic. All taxi’s in the BVI should be made to have a door for passengers on the curbside. I’m not saying to get rid of Taxis on the road now, but new ones being licensed should be made to follow this rule.
Also, the Safari Taxis need to stop being used as school buses and as regular taxis as a matter of fact. These are indigenous to the BVI, however, they should be used as tour buses only. Seeing children ride in these unsafe buses is disheartening.
Why this enemy of the VIP still in this post- hope he contract up soon!
At R***W++ Pasea they refuse to take locals.
The BVI cab drivers need to wake up to how the rest of the world charges for cabs. In New York city you pay for the ride (same price if there is 1 person or 4 people). It is only fair – same effort for the driver. Same gas costs.
They were charging $20 a head for rides from Nanny Cay to Road Town. You have 6 people in a van = $120 That’s the same price as the meal at the Pizza shop!!
I saw boats go out the first night, then stay in Nanny Cay the rest of the week. That hurts local bars and restaurants. This has to stop. Change the laws to protect the tourist and you will get more tourists. We do not need more cabs, we need fair laws on what is charged and then we will get the right people in this job – all we got now is hustlers hunting for money from tourists.