Regulating the number of taxi drivers
How does the government issue taxi licences? What are the criteria and is there any kind of limit on how many are issued per year or at any one time?
Auntie’s answer: There is a whole process involved in obtaining a public transport permit, with a taxi licence one of six categories of permit available. For your information, here is a document that outlines the many steps a potential taxi driver needs to follow to apply for a licence.
The first requirement that must be met before moving on in the process is passing a general knowledge test. Next comes filling out the application form and among the things that must be supplied with that document are criminal and traffic records, medical form, urine test and proof of immigration status.
On that last point, the document on obtaining the permit says, “All operators must be Caymanian. All drivers must provide either a work permit or that they have permanent residence with rights to work if not Caymanian.”
However, an official with the Ministry of District Administration, Tourism and Transport explained that in the case of a taxi permit, the operator, who has to be Caymanian, must be the only driver; he or she cannot hire someone to drive under that permit. For the rest of the public-transport categories, the operator must be Caymanian but is allowed to have non-Caymanian drivers.
The official confirmed that right now, the number of taxi permits allowed, and issued, is 270, adding, “The Public Transport Board reviews the number of taxis, on an annual basis, to ensure that there is adequate supply to meet the growth in our tourism industry.”
That review is conducted before the high season here “to ensure there is an adequate supply to meet customer demand” during the busy tourist months.
Category: Ask Auntie, Transportation Questions
Hi all,
As part of regulating the taxi drivers I like to see us take some price in the uniforms they wear. they are not! very AMBASSADOR like. Our taxi drivers are no less than Flight attendants. They need to be sharp and look! that way. My God.. we are so late with everything.
Correction to my typo. I’d like to see us take some pride in the uniforms they wear.
The last time I got a cab from the airport the driver snuck in another 4 people going to hotels on West Bay Road. I paid full fare and had to go to 4 stops before getting home. Shouldn’t that fare be split 4 ways or better still on a meter?
Yup, that happens far too frequently on delayed evening flight arrivals where CIAA dispatchers seem to be chronically surprised that passengers needing cabs will still be arriving via scheduled airlift. They are not allowed to put anyone else in your cab without your consent. If you decline, and they ask you to get out of “your” assigned cab, report them to PTU, Durk Banks [durk.banks@gov.ky] 946-1323. That double/triple/quad billing crap has got to stop.
Last time I got a taxi at the airport, the dispatcher would not give me a price for the fare which was weird. I asked the driver and he told me it was US $22 which was fine. But when I asked him the price in CI he told me $21.60! I actually think it was an honest mistake though; we had to go over the math a few times before he got it right.
Agree. The Traffic Law requires taxis to be metered. When I was charged a double fare for being dropped less than a mile on from our first drop off, I challenged the driver who was unprentent. Nearly ended in a fist fight but I backed down and paid the standard $40 (x2) for whenever you go after 10pm.
The Cayman taxi business is scandalous. We have high end clients that will not come back to the island because they have been so ripped off. The traffic law requires taxis to be metered. How may are? None. MLA’s do something for your fat cat salaries.
How many dispatch companies in Cayman and who runs them? Is GOS deployed?
More Taxi are needed including dispatches there are lots of people who need a taxi but never available to…
There has to be some recourse for passenger (and traffic) victims that are fouled by tourism ambassadors that shouldn’t be out there representing our Islands. Let’s start cataloging Taxi complaints to Durk Banks [durk.banks@gov.ky] at PTU (no dept website) 946-1323. Have driver/vehicle ID and time/date particulars handy. Arrive at airport and there are no cabs? Send him a note. Tailgated by manic driver? Send him and RCIPS a note to report these things. Smoking exhaust? Drunk cabbie? Get them off the road. Time to fill someone’s email box with these real-world issues so that bad apples can be cautioned or removed from the front lines of our tourism pillar. For decades that sector has been run very haphazardly, with great autonomy, and sadly, it really shows.
To become at taxi driver, one must ignore all rules of the road and be the most ignorant person as possible. They are rude and don’t give a dam about anyone else on the road.
Taxi’s are the biggest rip off and so sketchy! Anyone notice all the small private cars with Ace Taxi stickers? Like what the actual F? Also, got ripped off on Friday night, which I would rather have happen then a DUI but come on! They need to be regulated by meters because this has got to stop.
The prime qualification is influence, preferabbly, political.
Based on the way most of them drive, passing a driving test is obviously not a requirement.
All operators must join the Cartel and pass “Tourists: How to rip them off 101.
Taken from the linked document, “once you have past the examination”. It is PASSED.
Am I also to believe from reading, that taxi drivers also are tested on rules of the road??? Hahaha. These people are usually terrible drivers, either too fast or too slow. Hogging the right lane, not using signals and having some pretty crappily maintained vehicles seem to be a given.
I’d rather trust an Uber.
I wish we had Uber – at least those of us who live outside of GT and WB would be able to get taxis then!
Not enough taxi is right we do need more
To the guy driving the Hawaiian Tropic bus in circles downtown yesterday blowing off the excessively loud horn you need to STOP.