Taxi operators in Lautoka are up in arms over private vehicles doing jobs in the city.

Some new private vehicles have been seen by this newspaper looking for and taking passengers. It is happening during the day and at night. People who own and drive taxis in the Sugar City have raised concerns with this newspaper about the illegal operators.

Apart from them, some people have also raised concerns on the high fares being charged by the private vehicles that do jobs in the city.

The registered taxi operators claim that some people with good jobs have given their private vehicles to drivers to do jobs.

Fiji Taxi Union and Lautoka Taxi Union president, Raben Bhan Singh said it has been an ongoing issue.

“Before, it was the carriers doing jobs but now it’s the private vehicles that are operating in the city,” he said.

“We had a meeting with the Lautoka City Council, Fiji Revenue and Customs Service, and Land Transport Authority officials in Lautoka on Tuesday.

We discussed the issue and we will have to give them the registration numbers of private vehicles that are doing jobs.

“It’s not easy to prove it unless there is an exchange of money between the driver of the private vehicle and the passenger.

“Nothing much can be done unless there is an exchange of money. But if caught then the driver of the private vehicle and the owner will be charged by the authorities.”

Mr Singh said zone taxis operating from taxi bases in the city was also an issue.

He said the union would also have to give the numbers of zone taxis that operated from the registered taxi bases in the city.

At a meeting in Lautoka about three weeks ago, registered taxi base owners raised their concern on the zone taxis. The meeting had heated up and Police officers present had to abruptly call it off.

Edited by Susana Tuilau