Taxi Association Reverts to Base System

The taxi base system will minimize the operation of private vehicles.

That’s the opinion of Fiji Taxi Association (FTA) general secretary Ashwin Lal, who welcomed the announcement made by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) chief executive officer, Irimaia Rokosawa.

Mr. Rokosawa said that the base system would be reinstated.

The taxi system is now an Open Taxi Rank System, this was introduced by the FijiFirst Government in 2021.

Mr. Lal said the base system would resolve issues in towns and rural areas.

“The base system is back, and we welcome it. We asked the LTA to reinstate it as soon as possible because some districts are already paying the base fees,” he said.

“The taxi operators from the out-base system are coming into the cities and towns, where they create problems. When we revert to the base system, most of these problems will be solved.

The rural base taxis will return to their designated bases, where private vehicles are currently operating.”

Drivers in some districts are paying town councils for base fees.

The association has called on LTA and legal authorities to restrict all rural taxis from operating in towns and cities.

“They need to return all rural base taxis to their designated bases. Once the rural base taxis are back in their bases, the illegal operation of private vehicles will stop,” Mr. Lal said.