After concerns were raised by the Lautoka Zone Taxi Association on factors contributing to drug use among taxi drivers, the Land Transport Authority has issued a strong warning to Public Service Vehicle (PSV) operators and drivers that illicit drug use will not be tolerated.
LTA CEO Irimaia Rokosawa says while the Authority acknowledges the challenges highlighted by the Association, including long working hours and financial obligations to taxi owners, these cannot justify illegal behaviour that endangers the lives of passengers and other road users.
Rokosawa says the Authority has a zero-tolerance stance on illicit drug use within the PSV industry and will take firm action against any driver or permit holder found engaging in such behaviour.
He says driving under the influence of drugs is a direct threat to public safety.
The LTA CEO says they will not hesitate to initiate showcause proceedings that can result in the suspension or cancellation of a drivers licence or the revocation of a PSV permit.
From 1st January to 27th October 2025, the Authority has conducted 559 showcause proceedings across all regions which involved 15 PSV driver licence holders, resulting in 11 suspensions, four licence cancellations,and formal warnings issued to others.
He reminds all PSV permit holders that all PSV permits, except Rental (RRL) and Road Carrier (RCL) permits, are due for renewal on 27th November 2025. Compliance history, including any record of drug use among drivers, will be considered during the renewal process.
Rokosawa says permit holders are responsible for ensuring their drivers are drug-free, properly licensed for the class of vehicle they operate, and compliant with regulated driving hours as stipulated under Regulations 48 of the Land Transport (Traffic) Regulations.
He says while the random drug testing initiative for PSV drivers has not yet officially commenced, they are currently in the process of finalising the regulations that will govern the administration of these tests.
The LTA CEO says these regulations are crucial to ensuring that the Authority’s responsibilities and powers regarding the enforcement of random drug testing are clearly defined and prescriptive.
He says this is essential so that any enforcement action taken will have the legal mandate similar to drunk driving which is governed by the Land Transport (Breath Test and Analysis) Regulations 2000.
Rokosawa says they are also using as guidance the recent amendments done in our neighboring countries regarding drug driving and testing.
He says once the regulatory framework is completed and approved, the implementation of the initiative will proceed accordingly.
The LTA CEO says they are collaborating with the Fiji Police Force to enforce drug testing requirements while Police will be responsible for carrying out and enforcing the drug tests, as they have the legal authority to make arrests.
He say they will continue working closely with their key stakeholders to ensure the proper and effective implementation of this process.
Rokosawa also expressed disappointment that the Lautoka Zone Taxi Association did not raise these concerns or report drivers engaged in such behaviours directly with the Authority through its established stakeholder engagement channels.
He says they have held numerous stakeholder and public consultations specifically for the PSV sector to address operational issues as these forums are open platforms for associations to raise concerns for immediate attention.
The CEO says such issues should have been brought to the Authority directly.
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