Taxi drivers to calibrate their meters before new fares can be charged

The Consumer Council of Fiji has received complaints where certain taxi drivers are charging the new fares without first calibrating their meters to reflect the new fares.

The Council says this entails that drivers are either switching their meters to the night fare of $2 during the daytime or asking the commuters to pay an additional 50 cents on the unadjusted taxi meter rates.

They say in one such incident, the complainant sought clarification from the taxi driver on the different prices and was advised that several taxi drivers have resorted to switch to the night fare of $2 as they were unable to calibrate immediately.

CEO, Seema Shandil says that taxi operators are to execute ethical business practices and improper application of day and night fare charges should cease immediately.

The Land Transport Authority says all taxi meters need to be recalibrated by LTA authorized taxi meter calibration agencies in order to start charging the new fare.

The Council is also urging consumers to be wary of the manner in which they are being charged taxi fares.