Taxi Association executives and members maintain Fiji is not ready for taxi booking app

The Fiji Taxi Association is objecting to the implementation of the taxi booking app, Vodo as they are concerned that LTA did not consult with them, the cost of the fee for using the app, the annual licence fee, the use of credit or debit cards, lodging of cash payments to Fiji Revenue and Customs Service, the cost of having the app in a taxi, the issue of having a taxi base and the issue that customers have to pay $5 if they cancel a booking.

President of the Nadi Airport Taxi Association Mohammed Mustafa Khan says Fiji is not ready to accept the Vodo app from what he has seen in the Western Division and the impact on the people after COVID-19.

Association Secretary-General Ashwin Lal says drivers are not earning much now and the implementation of the app will do more damage than good to drivers.

Lal says that their lawyer has written to LTA and they are still waiting for a response.

He adds they will raise this issue with the Minister of Transport Faiyaz Koya, the Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and the Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama before taking legal action against LTA.

According to the Expression of Interest for the provision for the Vodo app by the LTA, people will be able to use their e-ticketing cards, credit or debit cards and MasterCards to pay for their taxi fare with the implementation of the app in late November this year. It also says the app will be fully funded by the taxi community in Fiji and it will be the property of LTA but licenced to the successful vendor.

Vodo will be a taxi app that will enable the closest taxi to be automatically dispatched for customer pick-up.

Meanwhile, LTA has stated the app will not take 20% of earnings from drivers and if a taxi driver earns $150 a day in taxi fares, that is what they will receive in revenue.

They say the proposed app is still at stage 1 of a procurement process and there will be consultations with all stakeholders, including taxi owners/drivers and customers, who will soon come to know how fantastic and safe the Vodo app will be.