People who frequently travel in taxis have to dig deeper into their pockets following the significant increase in the taxi fare from next month.
This follows the government’s approval for the increase in fares from the 7th of next month.
From that date, after the flag fall rate of $1.50, the running rate of drop distance fare for every 100 metres will be 10 cents compared to the current charge of 10 cents for every 200 metres.
This means that the drop distance fare has been doubled.
Fiji Taxi Union General Secretary, Rishi Ram said the significant increase will assist the taxi industry and he does not believe that there will be a reduction in the number of people travelling in taxis.
An example of the increase as stated is a person paying a fare of $8.50 from the 7th of next month if their current fare for the same run is $5.
Under the agreement signed by the government and the Fiji Taxi Union, the taxi industry cannot ask for a fare increase for the next four years and an increase will only be considered if the fuel price goes up to US$155 per barrel.
Secondly taxi operators have to give a 20% discount to people who are disabled and produce a card.
Ram also said the industry has been told that no taxi driver can refuse to take a passenger to their destination.
If they do refuse, then the driver faces a fine of $100.
Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said taxi’s is always a transportation of choice and people will see a lot of changes from now after the new agreement on the fare increase.
The new taxi fare increase will also see all Nadi and Nausori airport taxis which are yellow and registered under the respective airports to have a new flag fall rate of $5.00.
Taxis operating in Ovalau, Vanua Levu, Taveuni and Kadavu will have a starting rate of $1.70.
Story by: Vijay Narayan and Filipe Naikaso
Feature
Drop distance taxi fare doubled
