Quite some time ago there was discussion that taxis were to install meters. Did that go away and why?
Auntie’s answer: No, that hasn’t gone away; it is working its way through the system. An official with the Public Transport Board explained that it is developing a strategic plan, a process which began September last year when the PTB held a retreat and started to shape public transport priorities.
The retreat followed a review of recommendations on public transport by Deloitte, with the Ministry of Transport and the PTB agreeing to “construct a plan for success” for the sector.
“These priorities are being organised into an action plan to address short-, medium- and long-term goals. Currently, the Public Transport Board is hosting stakeholder meetings to ensure all relevant areas of infrastructure and general interests are addressed in the strategic plan,” the official said.
As far as the introduction of taxi meters, the PTB is expecting to release a full update on the public transport strategic plan by the end of the second quarter of this year, after which the board “plans to address the community on the topic of metering”.
I realise that doesn’t give you a definitive answer on taxi meters, but it does get you up to date on the process. Stay tuned for the release of the plan by the middle of the year.
Send questions to auntie@caymannewsservice.com
This new app all drivers are forced to use is a ploy to put the older drivers out to pasture. People that have been driving taxi 20+ years are not all phone saavy. Get the meters for everyone. Or give everyone tablets with a mountable dock with an easy to use interface. They are trying to push out older cab drivers and it’s sad and underhanded. Come on CI government. Step up your game.
Hmmmm… more lies. Sounds like you’re an older taxi driver who has been taking advantage of riders for many years and don’t want that to stop.
why is the taxi fare matrix readily available?…this would eliminate 90% of the problem.
i remember being ripped off one time and i asked for the driver to show me the fare sheet…he refused.
forget about flex…flex will just be cayman uber app which gurantees the same lousy service and rip-off rates….
Digitizing the rate sheet into functional software would take an afternoon. We don’t need to buy any software or hardware. There are dozens of taxi client management companies out there. All could be operated via GPS and phones already in the vehicles. PTU and cab drivers either don’t know this, or don’t want Caymanian cab owners to know how many rides they are skimming. Bahamas and Bermuda have had this for 5 or more years already.
Come on people!! Think! With our labor laws, just how do you think Uber or Lyfte is going to work here?????
Yes, we need Flex. A Cayman operated company is a bonus. What’s the big deal to download a free app to be used in one country? Geez! Delete it when you leave. Not a big deal.
12:30, What you are saying is exactly what was said in New York, Chicago, Miami, Toronto 15 years ago when Uber came out. Oh my, how are we going to do it with our labour laws? Change the friggin laws and come fully into the 21st century.
We don’t need Flex.
Ummm, you get acTrade and Business license, free if less than 5 employees. What is the problem? Not Caymanian? Then you do not get to operate the service. I have no problem with that.
Deflect deflect deflect. Seriously, how hard is it to say put a meter in or your license to operate a taxi is void? These jokers get away with cashing a check each month without doing any work. Just like the taxi mafia. 30 bucks for a 10 minute ride, get over yourself. Whats the deal with Flex? I see they seem to be ramping up again?
We don’t need Flex. Tourists from U.S. and Canada already have the Uber and Lyft apps so make it easy for them by having them immediately be able to use those 2 apps,at,the airport on arrival. People from abroad don’t want the hassle of having an app that can only be used on Grand Cayman.
Think about it. Tourists who arrive at the airport will not have any idea what Flex is. They do not want to screw around downloading another app when most will already have Uber, Lyft or both apps on their phone.
Convenience is the key.
Tourists at the airport have a staffed PTU dispatch booth and published (albeit obscurely) flat fares to their destination. Passengers are given their rate before they board. This isn’t the problem area that an app or metering service would resolve.
8:26, You obviously have not had the massive inconvenience of arriving on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon and having to wait 15 to 20 minutes in the PTU line to order a taxi. Stupid system when times are very busy and many planes come in on an afternoon from the U.S. and Canada.
UBER & Lyft now and end the taxi pain for our tourists.
As most tourists from the U.S. & Canada have the UBER and Lyft apps just move into the modern world and have those 2. Will solve so many problems for tourists coming here. If we can have 50 storey skyscrapers we certainly can have UBER and Lyft.
The # 1 complaint by far, on Trip Advisor about Grand Cayman, is rip off taxi drivers. Taxi drivers really hurt the Caymankind image we are trying to project.
And to think we actually imported many of the drivers that give us a bad name. Some are great, but why do we never properly deal with the awful ones?
Unbelievable. Obfuscation and incompetence at its best.