January 8, 2014

Dear Sir,

I kept putting off writing this letter and then after reading what Derek Young, President of the Bermuda Taxi Owners and Operators Association, had to say yesterday regarding the potential introduction or alternative rental vehicles into the island I couldn’t put it off any longer. Categorising taxi drivers as the ‘ambassadors of Bermuda’ is laughable and I’ll explain why.

His comments regarding how dangerous the roads would become as a result and how much it would hurt the taxi industry infuriated me.

Only a few months has passed since they received a 25% fare increase and yet here we go again with the moaning from the taxi industry.

Whilst I will say that there are some fantastic taxi drivers out there on the roads the fact remains that the majority are appalling. The fares that they now demand are completely unjustified given the service.

Numerous times I have ordered a taxi, whether it is an hour before or the night before it is needed and they have not shown up, or I get told it will be 5 more minutes and never shows. Having to race to the airport with a suitcase on a moped is always a pleasure. If they do turn up I find it unbelievable that taxi drivers will refuse to break a $50 note citing the excuse they have no change or just started their shift. Surely the exchange of cash is the backbone of your job if I’m not mistaken? If you can’t accept $50 notes then move into the 21st Century and install a credit card machine in your taxi, or are all the drivers too tight to have this ‘state of the art technology’ in their cabs?

The exorbitant fares now being charged by the taxis should be reflected in the standard of the taxis we get into. Having some ac that works is s start, seats that aren’t ripped, lights that work perhaps? Only last night driving home did I count three taxis with lights not working correctly, two had one headlight working and the other one had no rear lights. Are they exempt from the same laws as the rest of us?

I’d also like to raise the issue of the taxis continuously making illegal turns at the birdcage. Thankfully, as far as I am aware, there have been no accidents as a result of this but it is only a matter of time. If you want to make your way back down Front St then do what the rest of us do and make the legal turn around Point Pleasant and come back to get in your queue to pretend to be a tour guide. Perhaps someone can enlighten me as to how a taxi driver can claim to be a tour guide without having a tour license as I am sure judging by the standard of the signs they hang out their taxis at the ranks that most of them are not. It was not that long ago when looking at one of the signs at the rank outside Coopers that I was politely asked “What the F**k are you looking at?” The tourists within ear shot were obviously delighted to hear that.

Overall the taxi service in Bermuda is nothing short of appalling, outrageously priced and generally frustrating. Everyone has competition in every aspect of their day to day living and none of us have been afforded the protection the taxi drivers have had, and certainly none of us have seen a 25% salary increase in recent times.

Time to stop complaining and begin providing a service that is expected of you otherwise alternatives will be sought out to replace you. I sincerely hope that the suggestion that Government are looking to increase taxi fares next month in Parliament is just hearsay.

Yours,

Walking