OBA calls for overhaul of ‘fractured’ taxi industry
The One Bermuda Alliance has called for an increase in the number of taxis on the road, claiming that demand is outstripping supply.
Dwayne Robinson, the Shadow Minister of Transport, made the statement after speaking to industry stakeholders.
Mr Robinson said that the Government needed to act on recommendations put forward by the Bermuda Taxi Owners and Operators Association — and that other issues also needed to be addressed.
The BTOA later said it “welcomed” Mr Robinson’s remarks and shared his concerns about the need for urgent action.
Mr Robinson said: “The demand is outstripping the supply.
“The BTOA has recommended issuing more temporary and full taxi permits. It's clear that more taxis are needed to meet the demand. Why hasn't the minister taken this on or provided an alternative solution?
“Many hotels have had to invest in their own transport to attempt to supplement the lack of availability. Tourists and locals are being left for hours with no taxis.
“The industry seems to have been left to cannibalise itself, with minibuses and limos fitting in where they can get in.”
Mr Robinson also raised concerns over unlicensed dispatchers.
He said: “I have received numerous complaints from transport stakeholders regarding alleged instances of dispatching of taxis from unlicensed entities.
“This leads to multiple taxis going to one job and arriving to find the customer already picked up.
“Instances like these are costly when people are already competing for taxis.”
In his statement, Mr Robinson challenged Owen Darrell, the transport minister, to bring about urgent changes, claiming that the industry “needs updated legislation and ministerial collaboration to help navigate the challenges“.
He said: “Our transport services remain fractured and it is the customers who are paying the price.
“There seems to be a lack of enforcement from traffic officers on transport policy and regulation, with many in the industry citing lack of enforcement and responsiveness from TCD on reported breaches of the Motor Car Act 1951.
“During the recent Budget debate, the minister stated the Act is being looked at. When will we see any meaningful amendments?
“I urge minister Darrell to meet with stakeholders to bring forward amendments to the Motor Car Act that will properly address their concerns.
“With no movement on the suggested ways to improve the taxi industry put forward by the BTOA or any concrete updates on ride-sharing, there seems to be no real movement to assist the industry.
“The minister needs to investigate where the potential breakdown in enforcement is with TCD and where he can provide the support if necessary.
“It’s also his responsibility to examine any breaches of the law, and if is this indeed true, [to] rectify them.
“I implore the minister to engage TCD to work with dispatchers to forge a way forward that benefits all stakeholders in the industry.”
Responding to the shadow minister’s comments, a BTOA spokesman said: “We appreciate MP Robinson’s call to action and view it as a step towards the robust reform and collaboration that the industry desperately needs.
“His statement rightly acknowledges what operators, customers and businesses have experienced for years: that the public transport ecosystem, particularly during peak periods and late-night hours, does not meet the mobility demands of residents or visitors.
“This point cannot be overstated. Bermuda has operated with approximately 600 taxi permits since the early 1990s.
“Despite decades of population and tourism shifts, this number has remained unchanged and the actual number of licensed taxis on the road has been steadily declining.
“According to figures referenced by minister Darrell himself in a June update, over 40 taxis are currently inactive for various reasons.
“This is deeply concerning when transport availability is one of the cornerstones of our visitor experience and local mobility.”
A statement provided on behalf of Central Dispatch Ltd explained that the company was established through a united effort between the former Bermuda Taxi Owners and Operators Association executive and “the three original, legally recognised dispatching companies: BTA Dispatching, Co-op and Bermuda Island Taxi”.
It added: “We have met and are in full compliance with all government, TCD and Public Service Vehicles Licensing Board suggestions and regulations.
“We are proud to be the only dispatching company in Bermuda with an automated voice-attendant system capable of answering unlimited simultaneous calls, eliminating the need for customers to wait on hold.
“In addition, we maintain live dispatcher support until midnight to handle the consistently high volume of daily inquiries.
“Our operations run 24/7, ensuring that we are always available to serve the public.”
The statement said: “We take pride in being the ultimate transportation and service solution for Bermuda.
“However, it is important to highlight one of the key challenges facing our industry — the rise of unauthorised and illegal dispatching.
“For years, various entities have operated outside the legal framework — using apps, WhatsApp, Telegram groups, e-mails and other informal methods to assign jobs.
“This undermines the integrity of the industry, pulls legally signed-up drivers away from their dispatch companies and violates the Motor Car Act.
“The Act clearly states that drivers must be dispatched by a licensed dispatching company and must use the required radio and GPS systems.
“Noncompliance by both drivers and dispatching offenders are subject to a $1,400 daily fine, yet enforcement remains lacking.
“These illegal operations allow drivers to cherry-pick jobs, ignoring others, making it extremely difficult to offer fair and reliable service to customers in real time.
“The result is a fragmented industry, where more platforms continue to pull from the same limited pool of drivers, compounding inefficiencies and delays.”
It added that the group was “concerned about recent misinformation and defamatory remarks circulating about Central Dispatch Ltd”.
The statement said: “These claims are unfounded and harmful to the progress being made.”
It added that real problem lay in “the lack of effective regulation from the relevant authorities”.
The statement said: “Without proper enforcement of existing laws and clear policy direction, the disorganisation will persist — ultimately harming the public and the very drivers we aim to support.”
It added: “We have been calling, begging and pleading for this fragmentation to be investigated for at least 16 years with all relevant boards, ministers, government officials and the office of the Ombudsman to no avail.
“Everyone’s essentially turned a blind eye.”
The organisation said it hoped the statement “helps clarify the position and mission of Central Dispatch Ltd and reinforces our commitment to building a strong, legal and technologically empowered transportation industry for Bermuda”.
The spokesman said that the BTOA had submitted to Wayne Furbert, the former transport minister, a raft of recommendations that did not require new legislation but enforcement of existing regulations.
The improvement measures included:
• Increasing the legal passenger seating allowance in taxis that can accommodate more than seven passengers
• Introducing seasonal or temporary taxi permits
• Enforcing compliance of laws that specify minimum operating hours of all licensed taxis
• Enforcing penalties on unlicensed dispatching and fare brokering, which has proliferated through chat groups and unregulated apps
• The creation of a national transport industry round table so that all stakeholders can collectively discuss real solutions.
The spokesman added: “The growth of private transport services and unregulated dispatch channels has been driven, in part, by a lack of enforcement and consistent availability of taxis during peak demand.
“In the absence of enforcement and strategic planning, these gaps are being filled by parallel services charging 25 per cent to 50 per cent more than the regulated meter rate.
“Customers are now willing to pay a premium for reliability, not luxury — this is the heart of the issue.
“Rather than fight over market share, BTOA believes the priority must be to rebuild a strong, available and modernised taxi network that offers fair opportunity for licensed operators and reliable service for the public.
“Without this, fragmentation and public frustration will continue.”
The Government has been contacted for comment.
• UPDATE: this article has been updated to include comments from Central Dispatch Ltd
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