Taxi drivers upset with Government plans for a cab tracking system are assessing their options after a meeting on Wednesday night temporarily ruled out strike action.

But Bermuda Taxi Owners Association (BTOA) president Gordon Flood said strike action was possible down the road if there was no Government climb down.

And he said that drivers were also planning to take legal advice on the issue.

There had been rumours that cab drivers were planning an action at the airport today.

Mr. Flood said a number of cab drivers on the protest committee were pushing for it but drivers are now gathering funds to pay top QC Saul Froomkin to represent them.

"He's very expensive - the best don't come cheap," said Mr. Flood.

He said he was disappointed there had been no response to a protest letter sent to Premier Jennifer Smith earlier this week.

He said: "I know she's busy but we are all busy."

Taxi drivers say Government plans to introduce a global positioning system (GPS) in each cab are too intrusive because they can pinpoint the position of each cab to within a few feet.

On Wednesday Transport Minister Dr. Ewart Brown said legislation will be tabled soon requiring all taxis to be equipped with two-way radios, a device for text-messaging with the dispatcher and GPS to monitor taxi locations.

But he said dispatching companies and taxis would be given one year to put the required equipment in place.

Mr. Flood said Dr. Brown was still wasting his time despite the one-year concession and should concentrate on enforcing the use of radios in cabs.

He said: "It would improve the service immediately so taxi owners would have to brush up their act, take calls and have a service for the public."

And he questioned Dr. Brown's survey which said the public were in favour of the GPS system.

Mr. Flood said: "I don't know how the questions were asked."

He said if cabbies were having to fork out money for equipment which wouldn't help them make any extra then they should be allowed to increase prices but the public wouldn't have backed the GPS system if they knew that would be the outcome.