Taxi drivers want to carry 75% capacity: 50% 'ridiculous'

THE Taxi Drivers Network believes the government's decision to reduce the allowed occupancy for public transport from 75 to 50 per cent is "ridiculous."

As a result, it said, many associations have no choice but to raise their fares.

At a press conference at Coffee Street, San Fernando on Friday morning, the network's president Adrian Acosta said it was extremely unfair, as private-for-hire (PH) taxis – which are illegal – continue to operate and are allowed to have full occupancy.

"We asking the question of whether PH is essential, because the Prime Minister, by extension the Minister of National Security and by extension the Commissioner of Police, said that only essential services should be on the road.

"We have been seeing PH (taxis) plying their trade in and around our taxi stands on a daily basis. And a lot of taxi drivers are (working) at a loss in this point in time...We are not being told anything at this time. So we are asking if an illegal trade is an essential service in this country."

He said the network is disappointed in those in authority who made this decision to reduce occupancy.

He said taxi drivers have been strictly following public health regulations and he wants evidence from health professionals to show whether people have contracted the covid19 virus while using public transport.

"We believe travelling with one passenger per window is the best thing that could have been done," he said.

He said he made this clear in a meeting with the representatives from the Health Ministry and the Ministry of Works and Transport.

Asked by Newsday if, in addition to the decrease in occupancy, he finds the surge in covid19 cases "ridiculous," he said, "At this point in time, there is no data showing that any of the travelling public contracted covid19 by travelling in any public transportation."

Asked if he thinks none of the 22,620 people who have contracted the virus in Trinidad and Tobago used public transport, he said, "I can't say that."

Of all the taxi associations in the country, he said he has only heard of one Arima taxi driver who got the virus while working.

He also said, "The government has presented nothing to us pertaining to grants. They have us a $700 fuel grant last year and that's a week in gas (money). That cannot do anything for taxi drivers.

"So we are saying yes, you can call 50 per cent for public transport – but you pump millions into the bus company and the boats on a yearly basis, and taxi drivers and maxi drivers (get) absolutely nothing."

He said taxi drivers are suffering.