Maraval Taxi Association: Fare hasn't increased

The Maraval Taxi Drivers Association is not increasing its fares. The regular passage is still $6, and off-route remains $10.

This was said in response to "PH" taxis, working the route, which charge $1 or $2 extra.

Jason Wickham, vice president of the TT Taxi Driver Network and the Maraval Taxi Drivers Association said association’s board is yet to authorise any taxi on the route increasing its fares. He said while an increase is coming soon, the association has not done so as yet.

"The fare to go to Maraval in a taxi is still $6. We have drivers who are robbing the people, charging them $7.

"The drivers who are doing this and robbing the people and them a dollar and demanding it is $7, please stop. It is wrong. What you wouldn't like for your family and friends and them, you wouldn't like for yourself."

Wickham said discussions with the board to adjust the tariff are ongoing and, in the future, an announcement will be made on a new tariff.

"This is not a hustle, this is a business, and we have to take this business seriously, because right now we are plagued with the illegal entities.

"Maraval is full of these white buses. White buses are chooking-out people eye and charging them $10 to go on the off-routes. In the off-routes, maxi taxi suppose to charge $8.

"We need the travelling public for us to survive, so we cannot be robbing them, and drivers doing what they want.

"I am appealing to the Minister of Works and Transport to speed up the process into putting back the statement of fares on the charge list as soon as possible."

Drivers would be obligated to have a printed list of fares visible in their vehicles, to avoided being ticketed by police.

"This will eliminate drivers doing what they want and robbing the passengers and them in Maraval," Wickham said.

He said this problem is not unique to Maraval, but recently, the Pleasantville association made a similar announcement when PH drivers illicitly increased fares. He wondered where next would PH drivers be so bold.

This illicit fare increase has only been apparent, he said, since the reading of the 2022/2023 budget, on September 26, when the cost of super and premium gasoline rose by $1 per litre.

President of the TT Taxi Driver Network Adrian Acosta, who works the Chaguanas-San Fernando route, said, "We have been calling on the government to deal with these illegal entities for the longest time.

"It is bringing great frustration to the legitimate taxis. We have called on the Commissioner of Police and everyone in authority that has the ability to deal with this rogue element and no one seems to be doing anything. Only the association has the authority to increase fares, not PH drivers."

One passenger to Maraval said PH drivers were not the only ones inflating their fares.

"I go up Moraldo Street. Normally it is $10. I took an H car. When I reach in the car, she say she charging $11. I watch she. She pick up somebody else and they say they going off-route and she say she charging $11. They was like, 'Is that the new fare?' and she was like, 'No, but I am charging $11.' I watch she. Well, I mark that, I say, 'I ain't travelling with you again.'"