Minister: Public Service Vehicle Modernization
“One of the initiatives under the Ministry of Transport is to focus on modernizing the local public service vehicle industry,” Minister of Transport Lawrence Scott said in the House of Assembly today [June 3].
The Minister said, “The Green Paper identified that there are not enough public service vehicles after 5pm, Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays to service visitors and residents, particularly at the Airport, Dockyard, St. George’s, and Front Street.
“Phase I, which includes consultation and feedback of key industry stakeholders, including minibuses, dispatchers, limos, and taxis, is near completion. The Ministry is currently reviewing the stakeholder responses.
“We are also working towards strengthening the transportation support to meet the projected increased service demands based on a forecast that predicts an increase in air, sea, and cruise passenger arrival numbers between 2024 and 2026.”
The Minister’s full statement follows below:
Mr. Speaker, earlier this year, during the 2022/23 budget debate, I advised this Honourable House that one of the initiatives under the Ministry of Transport is to focus on modernizing the local public service vehicle industry.
Mr. Speaker, this initiative aims to update the regulatory framework for public service vehicles. The project is a deliverable of the 2019 Transport Green Paper [“the Green Paper”] and will include the modernization and harmonization of public service vehicles through a phased approach over five years.
Mr. Speaker, the Green Paper identified that there are not enough public service vehicles after 5pm, Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays to service visitors and residents, particularly at the Airport, Dockyard, St. George’s, and Front Street.
Mr. Speaker, the overarching aim is to:
- ensure a level playing field for the industry to better deal with the continuing and inevitable changes and meet customers’ needs better;
- improve the public service vehicles sector to ensure improved service, customer and driver safety, and consumer protection;
- regulate the provision of a robust public service vehicles licensing system, which ensures that the public travel safely, receives a good customer service and drivers and operators are not overly burdened by unnecessary conditions; and,
- expand capacity to accommodate the needs of residents and visitors.
Mr. Speaker, Phase I, which includes consultation and feedback of key industry stakeholders, including minibuses, dispatchers, limos, and taxis, is near completion. The Ministry is currently reviewing the stakeholder responses.
This phase also includes a review of current public service vehicle legislation, policies, and procedures to ensure they are relevant, consistent, and effective and they help protect stakeholders, and users alike. Considerations are given to ensuring the sector is up to date with the latest technology and consistent with the industry’s best practices.
Mr. Speaker, we are also working towards strengthening the transportation support to meet the projected increased service demands based on a forecast that predicts an increase in air, sea, and cruise passenger arrival numbers between 2024 and 2026.
Mr. Speaker, Phase 2 will focus on opportunities and options that can be made available to improve the quality of life for owners and operators of public service vehicles, generating revenue for the Government, and making it easier to enter the public service vehicle services industry.
Thank You, Mr. Speaker!
The amount of taxi owners that are out there and dont want no one to drive it and would rather have there taxi parked in there yard. I am a taxi driver looking to drive a taxi part time for almost three years and nobody wants to rent me there taxi.
I am a Taxi owner my part time driver got in a accident wrote the taxi offf..we saw no money from him..we have a new taxi but the insurance is 4000 a year
The Government has turned a blind eye to the gypsy cabs that thrive outside Marketplace in Hamilton (and probably other places as well). Let’s just make this island wide and let anyone act as a service at anytime to anyone. Problem solved.
30-6…there were so many celebrations! Where are those voters now? I’m guessing they moved to the UK.
Taxi/owners and drivers have a life, have a family, have other interest, have unexpected taxi expenses, have maintenance and repairs for their vehicles, have health insurance to pay.
Hypothetically, if they lease their taxi to another for either full time or part time what reassurance do they have that the said driver will reimburse the owner for usage, for damages to vehicle.
If they want to be taxi drivers/owners, they need to figure that out.
This statement by Scott is a perfect demonstration of why the PLP are out of their depth.
First is that he’s referencing a report tabled in 2019 that contained what we have all known for 20 years. The taxi service, and I use the term lightly, is awful. And he’s proposing a multi-year process to improve it?
And where is the joined up transport policy – bus routes are cancelled daily, ferry service is cut….
I tell you what, let’s form a committee in true Bermudian style.
Useless gits.