After 15 years, taxi operators across Barbados have been granted a rate increase.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Works, and Water Resources, Santia Bradshaw, announced that the new rates, which came into effect on Saturday, January 7, correct the disparity of rates that previously existed in the industry.
Speaking during a press briefing held in the conference room of the Barbados Water Authority on Friday, January 6, Minister Bradshaw said: “One of the things that concerned us and really brought this to a head was the disparity of rates that existed. For instance, if you went from the seaport to the airport, you were paying $80, but if you were coming from the airport to the seaport you were paying $46. These things are not right and we believe that attempts had to be made to not only understand better the challenges that operators were facing but to bring some level of parity to the situation.”
The Transport Minister added that following concerns raised by the operators about the slow pace at which the increase in fares was coming, she was now extremely pleased that Government had delivered on its promise.
She stressed that from Government’s point of view “these operators required an opportunity to have a fair and level playing field, just like everyone else in the transport sector”.
Senior Economic Advisor to the Government, Ambassador Clyde Mascoll, explained that the new fare structure considered all the input costs taxi operators faced.
“Something called fairness has to engage any economic activity. I’m sure that if you were in a business where you were still using rates designed in 2008, you would be very unhappy. So, it is not right that this small group should have suffered such a misfortune, all we are seeking to do is rectify and put in place what should be, this is justice. There have been increases in the cost of diesel, gasoline, vehicles, insurance, parts, and every such thing, so why shouldn’t this group not be able to increase the price of their commodity 15 years later?” Ambassador Mascoll asserted, adding that most of what taxi operators will recoup will come from visitors to the island.
Director of the Barbados Transport Cooperative Society, Ronald Moore, expressed gratitude to the government and stakeholders, noting that the operators are extremely pleased with the new increase in taxi rates.
In addition to the new rate structure for taxi operators, plans are ongoing to roll out a Taxi Metering App within the coming months in an effort to ensure that both commuters and operators clearly know the cost of travel from one destination to the next.