Airport taxi drivers plead for rate increase after years of requests falling on deaf ears

Taxi drivers at the Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA) are growing tired of broken promises of an increase in the Government-regulated fee structure that has remained unchanged for more than a decade.

With fuel prices and the overall cost of living rapidly increasing, taxi operators who say they sometimes earn less than $100 in a given day, are seeking a 30 per cent hike in rates.

They said three of this country’s last tourism ministers had promised to address the problem ever since they negotiated an adjustment in 2008 with then minister, Gline Clarke.

To illustrate the basis of their frustration, the drivers disclosed that they are paid nearly twice as much to transport travellers from one location to the airport as they are paid to carry them in the opposite direction.

Eric Medford, who is in his 70s, said he was surprised to return to the country, after being away for an extended period, to find taxi rates still the same.

“The guys have been trying government after government and approaching ministers and meeting upstairs the GAIA office and now the guys recently asked for a 30 per cent increase on the current fare, but a lot of it is falling on deaf ears,” said the taxi driver.

“We have even had meetings with the Prime Minister and the present Minister of Tourism and I don’t think that it is fair for us to operate at these low rates since 2008.

“Since then, gas prices have been up and down, and right now it is $4.00 a litre, and for me, it is not easy to be doing these distances. In the supermarkets, you can see that the cost of living is high and going up all the time and it is frustrating for us as taxi drivers,” he added.

The existing fare structure charges $13 from the airport to Coverley, $31 to The Crane, $37 to the Garrison Savannah, $58 to Holetown, and $79 to Bathsheba.

Desmond Evelyn, who has been driving taxis at the airport since 1978, accused authorities of finding “all kinds of bogus excuses” to ignore their requests.

He said he was doing what he could to get by.

“My grandmother would always tell me, ‘if you make a penny, put down a cent or half a cent’. That is how I am surviving at this time. I try my best because we have to buy parts for our vehicles, the gasoline is skyrocketing and when you spend $180 or $190 on gasoline, it is very difficult,” Evelyn said.

Another woman who gave her name only as ‘Marilyn’, has been an airport taxi driver for the last five years. Already, she has been feeling the pinch.

“It is hard having to put in gas that is almost $4 a litre and from here to St Lawrence Gap is only $30. Sometimes you get three trips a day, but you can’t make $100. We have families to maintain, bills to pay and we’re hoping that something would happen to give us more hope,” she said.

“Right now, my vehicle needs upgrading and it is a struggle knowing that you can’t come out here and go home with money that you know could sustain and maintain you.”

Other operators opted not to comment as they were awaiting the outcome of meetings between airport officials and seven representative organisations, including tour companies.

“Our PM told us that if she won the government, she would help us out, but nothing has been done for us,” said one driver.

However, a senior tourism official said that no discussions were planned with the drivers and they were unaware of any immediate challenges affecting them.
kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb