Commuters inconvenienced as taxi operators withdraw service

Some commuters in six parishes: St. James, St. Ann, St. Thomas, St. Mary, Portland and St. Catherine were left stranded Monday morning after transport operators withdrew their services.

The taxi operators are protesting for various reasons, with demands for a fare increase being the most frequently cited.

Sydney James, one of the operators who ply the Discovery Bay, St. Ann to Falmouth, Trelawny route, declared that a fare increase is long overdue, as it had been “many years now that we’ve not got any raise”.

He cited the impact of rising insurance premiums and wear and tear on their vehicles as two primary cost factors in the decision of the taxi operators to resort to protest action.

Kelly, a commuter left inconvenient by the protest, spoke with RJR News, describing her failure to secure a taxi to get to work as “very devastating”.

She was scheduled to arrive at work at 10.00 a.m., and had been waiting already for more than an hour when she spoke with RJR’s St. Ann Correspondent Lloyd Hinds.

“But I still have to go to work because (we are) short staffed,” she explained.

Regarding the withdrawal of service by the taxi operators, she argued that “they could find another way out,” rather than opt for that option, given the “unpleasant” inconvenience for commuters.

Montego Bay

In the western Jamaica city of Montego Bay, some taxi operators have expressed disgust at being required to attach a tracking device to their vehicles.

They have also accused the police of being excessive in enforcing the requirement.

The authorities regard the tracking device as a crucial security measure for the protection of passengers.

One of  the protestors, Michael Granger, told RJR News the road needs to be repaired, hence the decision to join forces with the transport operators.