OBA’s Robinson On Rideshare, Taxis & More
Shadow Transport Minister Dwayne Robinson said the OBA supports modernising Bermuda’s transport system however “to attempt to introduce a new wave of transportation without properly enforcing our current one is skipping over the real issue.
Mr. Robinson said, “The One Bermuda Alliance is supportive of the modernisation of our transport system. It is without a doubt the biggest source of concern for our locals, tourists, and hotels alike.
“However, to attempt to introduce a new wave of transportation without properly enforcing our current one is skipping over the real issue.
“The real problem is accountability and enforcement for our service providers and those meant to regulate them.
“The Minister has not provided concrete answers on TCD’s ability to properly regulate the potential rideshare drivers or his plan to ensure that proper enforcement occurs.
“We still do not have all 600 taxis on the road or enforcement of the16 hours a day requirement which means the current industry is not operating at full capacity. How can we properly measure supply and demand without getting our current system to function optimally?
“How can the public have faith that the rideshare drivers will not fall into the same bad habits without seeing any regulations?
“This makes the rideshare legislation seem more like the easy way out by simply adding more cars into a system that is already poorly regulated, or even worse a strong-arming tactic towards taxi drivers, rather than an actual method to improve transportation in Bermuda.
“The One Bermuda Alliance is open to the consideration of any modernisation that improves the experience for customers and properly supports the service providers. We do not support band-aid fixes but instead opt for systemic ones.
“The Minister has not addressed the concerns of the dispatch companies who claim illegal dispatching and unregulated dispatching services, another structural issue that will remain within the industry. Rideshare drivers will be required to operate through dispatching companies, but we still have gypsy cabs, so rideshare will not be the magic pill.
“The introduction of this legislation does not make taxi operators disappear. Where is the plan to assist them in improving their service to the public and the weeding out of potential bad apples through a robust enforcement regime?
“The Government finds itself with no shortage of funds, so there is no reason TCD cannot see its traffic officer numbers and resources bolstered.
“If this is the direction the Minister wishes to take, he should showcase the work he has done with the taxi operators to improve their service, rather than giving ultimatums in the press.
“I am keenly aware that there is a level of dissatisfaction in our community with the taxi service, and I am not making any excuses for that or any poorly performing taxi drivers.
“However, there is a right and a wrond way to implement a new system. Accusations of refusing to meet with the primary service providers, the Bermuda Taxi Owners and Operators Association, refusing input from them, and not responding to their requests to make improvements to their industry is the wrong way. The taxi industry services 87% of our visitors, so let’s apply changes that affect the majority first.”
My last visit to Bermuda was in November 2025. One evening, I was leaving Hamilton to take a taxi back to my hotel in Paget. There were three taxis waiting, so as is customary, I went to the first one without thinking twice.
When we arrived at my hotel gate, I pulled out my debit card to pay, and the gentleman told me he does not take cards. I was genuinely surprised. In this day and age, I assumed every taxi driver would have a card machine.
The problem was that I had no cash on me. So we started driving around looking for an ATM. The ATM at the grocery store near my side did not work. The ATM at a nearby fast-food establishment did not work either. Eventually, we had to go all the way back into Hamilton to a bank branch so I could take out cash.
By the time we had done all of that and he brought me back to my hotel, my fare had doubled—from about $20-something to nearly $50.
That really should not happen in 2025, and certainly not in 2026.
What made it even more frustrating was that there was no warning beforehand—no sign and no mention when I got into the taxi—that cash was the only option. Especially on an island that welcomes visitors from around the world, that seems like something that should be communicated upfront.
In many large cities that send visitors to Bermuda—places like Atlanta, Chicago, and others—electronic payment is very common in transportation and everyday purchases. Even small vendors and markets often accept digital payments. So for travelers coming from places like that, a cash-only taxi can come as a surprise.
I do understand that transaction fees can be a concern for independent operators and small businesses. That is a real issue. However, if modernization is part of the conversation for the island, perhaps this is also an area where solutions could be explored. Some tourism destinations have helped drivers adopt digital payment systems by subsidizing card readers or helping offset the initial cost so that drivers are not carrying that burden alone.
At the very least, clearly letting passengers know in advance if a taxi accepts cash only would help avoid situations like the one I experienced.
Especially as Bermuda discusses modernization and digital financial systems, making sure basic electronic payment options are available in essential services like transportation would go a long way toward improving the experience for both residents and visitors.
Whether or not to accept credit or debit cards is s decision for the service provider. There is a cost associated with accepting credit or debit cards, and that cost is borne by the service provider.
You say you were a visitor to Bermuda. Would you go to Turkey (of Türkiye) or Egypt or India without any cash, not even American currency, and expect to put everything on your credit or debit card?
I completely understand that service providers have the right to decide how they accept payment, and that there are costs associated with card processing. My comment was more about the visitor experience and how transportation operates in destinations that rely heavily on tourism.
For context, I’m actually Bermudian—I was raised in Bermuda and now live overseas. So I’m speaking both from familiarity with the island and from the perspective of someone who has experienced how transportation systems work in larger cities where many of Bermuda’s visitors come from.
My experience simply highlighted how situations like this can become complicated for passengers if there isn’t clear communication beforehand. Even something as simple as letting passengers know upfront if a taxi is cash-only could help avoid situations like the one I described. As Bermuda continues conversations about modernization, it may be an area worth considering.
In Turkey you can definitely use a credit card to pay for a taxi. In any civilized first-world countries that consider themselves to be tourist destinations, it should be a given, and usually is.
We don’t want to be on a list where the other two examples are Egypt and India.
In most countries it isn’t necessary to have any cash whatsoever, other than for tipping.
There are taxi drivers in the US who don’t take credit cards, so it’s not unique to Bermuda. I’m a new taxi driver and I take credit cards. It’s safer then carrying cash.
I haven’t paid cash in a taxi in the US for literally 20+ years. Or in Europe.