Skyport Highlights Airport Transport Opportunities
Airport officials are “encouraging taxi drivers and ridesharing operators to take advantage of a growing business opportunity during the mid afternoons and evenings” as “passenger demand remains active during these periods; however, there is often insufficient ground transportation available to meet passenger needs.”
A Skyport spokesperson said, “This creates a window where additional operators can help support demand and benefit from increased trip availability.
“While taxis and ridesharing services remain a vital part of Bermuda’s transportation network, Skyport has observed a frequent shortage of operators mid afternoons and nights. Operators who position themselves at the airport during these times can find added value in the number of arriving passengers in need of ground transportation, and can effectively help fill a temporary void in ground transportation availability.”
“We appreciate the ongoing partnership of our taxi and ridesharing community,” said a Skyport spokesperson. “Our aim is to highlight a period where operators will likely find additional business by being present at the airport and in doing so, will help to ensure that the demands and expectations of our arriving passengers are adequately met.”
A spokesperson added, “With American Airlines, BermudAir, Delta, and JetBlue, arriving from gateways such as Charlotte, Boston, Newark and New York JFK respectively, during the mid afternoon and early evening periods, passenger volumes can be significant. During peak days, up to 600 passengers can arrive between 2:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., while highvolume nights can see nearly 200 passengers scheduled to arrive between 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., with a varying number requiring ground transportation.
“Skyport will continue to monitor passenger flow and collaborate with ground transport partners to support a seamless arrival experience. Operators interested in this opportunity are encouraged to frequent the airport throughout the periods where there are voids, to meet the transport needs of arriving passengers.”
How about taking away the ‘Pen’ name. Tell me where else in the world you have a taxi pen. A pen is a house for ANIMALS……
It’s called the ‘TAXI HOLDING AREA’. The ‘Pen’ reference was dropped months ago. Where have you been?
Where have you been? You don’t have access to the traffic officers chat…Even today they are asking drivers to report to the’Pen’
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Where have you been? Its only one traffic officer that doesn’t call the holding area a “pen” all the rest are stuck in their ways. Funny that Skyport thinks 100 taxis should be lined up during peak moving times on the island to prioritize the airport. You have to wait for private transportation all around the world at airports not just bermuda.
The signage does not reflect a change. It says PEN. Only one ATO has been referring to it as the HOLDING AREA, respecting the drivers opposition to the PEN.
Have the minister update the taxi shared ride rates and make it necessary that every taxi does so when the ramp is full. That will help, as it all works by zones.
It’s unfortunate that the old shared ride rates have to wait this long for the Ministry to update. At present, drivers themselves can ask their passenger/s if they’d mind sharing the ride and state a rate that they should be agreeable to. Too many taxis leave the airport with only 1 or 2 passengers.
This conversation is about 30 years old, as far back as I can remember. It just circles with time.
“This conversation is about 30 years old”
Complaints of lack of sufficient transportation from the airport at peak times go back much more than 30 years.
When did BAS stop running the VW mini buses doing the small hotel and guest house runs? That was a time when the largest taxi was a G class car.
Taxi drivers were masters at packing a car then.
“When did BAS stop running the VW mini buses doing the small hotel and guest house runs?”
I want to say in the mid-1980s but I could be wrong.
This conversation has been going on for over 35 years