Taxi drivers interested in snapping up shares in a dispatching company aiming to run its own garages ? as well as bid for bus, limo and even air business ? flocked to a meeting on the subject.

Michael Ray, president of BTA (Dispatching) Ltd. said drivers keen on buying shares in the venture attended the Ex-Artillerymen?s Association Club, Victoria Street, Hamilton, recently.

He said the response to the plans had been ?very positive? ? and this was underscored by the attendance of about 200 at the meeting.

The BTA idea could trigger a major shift in the Bermuda taxi industry as drivers look for the cheapest way to buy global positioning systems (GPS).

The cab tracking equipment, which will assign the nearest cab to a job, must be in all vehicles by February.

Mr. Ray has already said that he hoped to attract more than half of the Island?s 600 drivers to the scheme.

After the meeting, the Bermuda Taxi Association president told : ?We had a good meeting and it was very well attended ? BTA Dispatching is on its way.?

He said the shareholder registry was ?growing by leaps and bounds?. And the aim was to have the business live and on line by the start of 2006, with equipment installed and GPS inside cabs.

Mr. Ray said anyone interested in becoming a shareholder or buying the new $1,500 equipment can call at the BPSU cottage, Angle Street West, Hamilton, between 9 a.m. and noon or at the Airport hut, St. George?s, between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. before tomorrow.

Another meeting will be held at the Ex-Artillerymen?s Association Club on Monday at 7 p.m.

Meanwhile, another taxi meeting has taken place in Hamilton.

Co-Op Taxis called an urgent meeting for all shareholders at the Bermuda Industrial Union headquarters.

President Alaine Mouchette said the meeting was to discuss finalising a merger between Co-Op Taxis and the Bermuda Central Dispatching Corporation.

One larger company would make the costs of GPS easier to manage, she added.