Taxi drivers eager for fare increase

Taxi drivers are eagerly awaiting the new tariff for the operation of taxis on the island. They say it has been approximately 20 years now since a new tariff was introduced. Speaking with The Standpoint, taxi driver, Irad Brathwaite, said that while he is comfortable with the regular $5 around Road Town, he would like to see the fare increased for West End, East End, Cane Garden Bay (CGB) and Brewer’s Bay.

According to Mr. Brathwaite, the fare from Road Town to CGB and Brewer’s Bay is $6, but he would like it to be increased to $8 per person.

“CGB and Brewer’s Bay are the most important beaches and that’s where people go the most. From town to the airport is $8 per person. I think it should be $10. I would like to see the fares increase because the gas going up, the tyres going up and everything going up. It got so much pressure on the taxi men,” Mr. Brathwaite said.

Member of the BVI Taxi Association and also a taxi driver, Glen Allen, requested that the government pay keen attention to the draft submitted since taxi drivers would like to see ‘something’ come out of it.

Fair deal

“Many times what we ask for, we don’t get. We would like the government to come close to what we propose to them. I think what the taxi men did together is a fair deal across the board,” Allen said.

He said that the fare increase is being requested because the current taxi fare is outdated and does not meet the economic situation of the country. Allen also urged the government to speed up the process since the tourist season is quickly approaching.

“The season has already begun and we would like to have something to work with so that there won’t be any cross fire from the passengers concerning the fares,” Allen told The StandPoint.

In the House of Assembly recently, Minister of Communications and Works, Honourable Julian Fraser, said that the new tariff will be in place before the tourist season. According to Fraser, the three sister islands have agreed on the new tariff, but the taxi professionals in Tortola are not in agreement with the new fares laid down by government.

However, according to Minister Fraser, they are close to arriving at a decision.

He explained that in September 2009, the taxi professionals of the BVI, submitted their Draft Taxi Fares to the BVI Tourist Board and requested that the Board move the matter forward to the Ministry of Communications and Works.

The Board submitted the draft to the Ministry on December 16, 2009, under the title, “DRAFT VIRGIN ISLANDS (UK) STATUTORY INSTRUMENT 2009 39 ROAD TRAFFIC ACT (Cap. 218), Road Traffic (Passenger Fares) (Amendment) Regulations, 2009”.

According to Minister Fraser, in January, 2010, the Ministry reviewed the Draft and met with Managers from the Tourist Board to discuss it, and in particular, the statistics and justifications on how the taxi professionals arrived at the new fares for each location.

It was noted that the Ministry found it difficult to defend the methods given for arriving at the figures in the Draft Tariff, and as such an Adhoc Committee was appointed for the purpose of advising the Minister and Government on the matter.

The Committee’s remit was to review the propose Passenger Maximum Fares, which were submitted, representing the islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda and Jost Van Dyke, and to advise the Minister on the implementation of a new or revised Road Traffic (Passenger Fares) Regulations that would allow the Taxi Professionals to be brought in line with the changes in the economic climate of the territory.

In February, the Committee held its first sets of public meetings on Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dye, where it engaged public opinion on the proposed fares submitted by the taxi professionals. The Committee received input from the public and questions concerning the conditions on how the fares were derived.

According to the Minister, those in attendance at the meeting pointed out discrepancies in various areas with regards to fares being too low, too high or in some cases, distances not properly justified, or travelled areas not being covered.

“In acknowledging these realities Mr. Speaker, we recognized the need for a sound, and scientific method for the revision of the fares, along with taking into consideration, the input of the Taxi Professionals, so an Economist from Development Planning Unit (DPU) was added to the Committee in March, 2010.”

Assessing the cost

The committee was then mandated to assess the cost of operating a passenger services business, Identify the factors that affect cost associated with passenger vehicles, make recommendations on costs and tariff rates where appropriate, conduct meetings and discussion with taxi presidents and professionals as it relates to the industry and actual operating costs, and fairness in increases in fares, conduct  public meetings and other interactions with the public as it relates to engaging public dialogue on the cost of operating passenger vehicles and advise the Minister on the implementation of a new or revised Road Traffic (Passenger Fares) Regulation, as agreed upon by all.

In order to do this, the committee gathered relevant industry economic financial and legislative data from sources such as the DPU, Vehicle Licensing Department, Ministry of Communications and Works, Attorney General’s Chambers, among others to obtain statistics on things like the costs associated with the wear and tear on a vehicle, the average life expectancy of tires; the average miles per gallon of gasoline; cross referencing of those expenditures with discounted goods such as their Customs Duty Exemption on automobile. And in addition, interviews were performed with key stake holders in the Taxi Industry.

The committee then embarked on a series of scheduled meetings for all the islands to discuss the revision to the draft they had submitted.

These meetings took place from June 2010 to the end of July 2010. At the end of these meetings, it was noted that taxi drivers were on all islands were dissatisfied with the “scientific” review of the Passenger Fares and Representatives from each island, requested further discussions and in some cases, line by line comparison of the Fares submitted by the Taxi Professional and the revision by the Adhoc Committee.

“Upon their request Mr. Speaker, this was done throughout the month of August and well into September, where some adjustments were made and agreed upon. This revised Draft was again sent out to the Presidents for confirmation.”

At the end of September, the Presidents of all islands met again on Tortola to voice their discontent and asked that the Ministry scrap the “scientific” draft submit by the Adhoc Committee and present their current revised Draft to Cabinet for approval.

At that meeting, which took place on September 30, Minister Fraser said that minor changes were made to the draft fares for Anegada, Virgin Gorda and Jost Van Dyke, and was then agreed upon by the Presidents. However, the Presidents on Tortola were still dissatisfied with their Draft.

“To move this initiative forward, Mr. Speaker, the Ministry has agreed to review a subsequent submission made by the Tortola Presidents on October 18th, with a view towards making any necessary changes to the May 2010 Revised Draft that was prepared by the Adhoc Committee.

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