HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC – Transport Minister Wayne Furbert has revealed that 81 taxis – around 15 percent of the island’s fleet – are off the road “for one reason or another,” but he hopes to find a solution to the problem.
Furbert spoke at a news conference on Wednesday to provide details of his ministry’s US$72 million allocation for the next fiscal year announced in Friday’s Budget.
Earlier this month, Wayne Caines, the chairman of the Bermuda Tourism Authority and a government backbencher, called for “honest talks” on the lack of transport available to visitors and singled out taxi operators for criticism.
Caines said: “There is a requirement by law for taxis to be on the road for a specific amount of hours. Now they must be held to account for that.”
Furbert said that the government had met taxi operators to find a solution to the problem.
He said: “We’re having some great discussions with them, and hopefully, we can have an announcement soon.
“There are some transportation challenges. We found out that 81 taxis are off the road. We have 600 taxi permits, and 81 were off the road for one reason or another.”
Furbert said many drivers worked exclusively for one client, while others had full-time jobs and drove taxis only in the evenings or weekends.
He said: “We’re working with them, and hopefully, we can make an announcement.”
The minister did not elaborate.
Furbert said “a record cruise season” will bring 220 cruise ship visits this year, with Bermuda playing host to about 620,000 cruise ship passengers, 50 percent more than last year.
A further 40 electric buses will arrive in the summer, bringing their number up to 70 out of a public transport fleet of 100.
Fast ferries will be in line for a refit, and the Hamilton ferry terminal will also get an upgrade
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