Minister for Transport, Ro Filipe Tuisawau confirms that pirate taxi drivers will be required to apply for proper permits to operate legally.
Ro Filipe has confirmed this following his earlier statement that the Ministry is working towards bringing pirate taxis into the formal transport system.
The Minister has clarified that there will be no separate category for pirate taxi drivers and they will need to fall under the existing Public Service Vehicle (PSV) licenses, such as hire permits, minibus, or taxi licenses.
He says the legalisation he referred to is within the current framework and this will be rolled out soon.
Meanwhile, the earlier suggestion raised public concern, with some people alleging that some pirate drivers have been involved in transporting drugs, do not have drivers licenses and are abusing passengers.
Responding to this, Ro Filipe stresses that drivers will need to meet strict standards, including having a clean police record and providing quality service.
He adds that these measures are aimed at ensuring public safety and improving accountability in the transport sector.
