Regulations to govern freelance taxis were sidelined by fuel-hike issue, but PTU hopes to have them in place by April

Executive members of the Public Transportation Union (PTU) are hoping that, by the beginning of April, protocols will be established to regularize freelance taxi operators.

The Union had held a meeting on Monday, March 7 to fine-tune a document that details these protocols. However, according to Ian Joseph, the PTU Vice Chairman, the matter was sidelined by the increase in fuel prices, since taxi operators had to address that issue urgently.

Now, he sincerely hopes the document will be ready by the start of the coming month.

The matter stems from a violent incident that involved an unauthorized taxi driver and a student of the American University of Antigua, which had a negative impact on legitimate taxi operators.

Following a meeting with the Police and the Transport Board, the taxi associations discussed and subsequently drafted a proposal to address how freelance operators would be registered and pay dues.  

The draft proposal, after approval by the membership, must still be ratified by the Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda.