External taxis and illegal operators in Labasa have filed a request with the Land Transport Authority on the urgency of reviewing the process and operation of taxi permits to better serve the public.

This supports the question of when taxi drivers refuse short trips and fail to operate during peak hours from their taxi ranks.

This allowed illegal operators and external taxis to step in and assist in transporting members of the public.

(Source: Fiji Land Transport Authority/Facebook)

Joseph Jacob, a part-time night operator, says LTA should issue written approval to illegal operators since they contribute to the provision of transport services.

“If we illegal operators could get paper recognition because most of the time we are stopped by LTA. They refuse the position. And I already gave my number.

In response, Land Transport Authority Director General Irimaia Rokosawa reiterated that the issue raised is a stern warning to taxi permit holders to discharge their duties to better serve the public, this which is also part of the consultation review.

Rokosawa says this will also be taken into account when analyzing when the PSV holders’ license expires for current holders.

“Permit holders will be required to comply with the functions of the LTA, which is to ensure that every general public has access to general public transport services. As we explained previously, by 2027 all of our existing PSV holders will expire.

Meanwhile, public consultation on reviewing the operations of the taxi permit process continues tomorrow in Lautoka.