‘Only licensed taxis’: Government, Uber move to calm backlash

The row over Uber’s arrival in Barbados has prompted swift clarifications from both the government and the international ride-hailing company, which are moving to assure local operators that only licensed taxis will be allowed to operate on the Uber platform when it launches next week.

Uber, which is set to go live on Wednesday, October 22, confirmed that its app will be limited to licensed taxi drivers and will follow Transport Authority-regulated rates.

The clarification follows actions by taxi operators who gathered outside the Bridgetown Port on Friday to protest the government’s decision to grant the company a licence, warning that it could “cripple” the industry, threaten hundreds of jobs, and drain vital revenue from the economy.

“We can confirm that solely the Uber Taxi product will be available in the app and will be exclusively enabled for licensed taxi drivers,” the company said in a weekend statement.

Uber added that any fare differences seen during testing were caused by automatic discounts in the system and stressed that drivers would receive the full regulated rate.

“Taxi drivers will now be able to benefit from Uber’s technology, as they can use the app to reach more riders while continuing to serve their regular passengers on the streets whenever they wish,” the company noted.

“During the initial testing phase, some variations were observed due to automatically applied discounts; however, drivers will be compensated according to the regulated rates.”

In a separate statement, Minister of Transport and Works Santia Bradshaw made it clear that Uber must operate within Barbados’ existing legal framework.

“Uber is required to operate according to the laws of Barbados like all other rideshare apps that enter this market,” the Deputy Prime Minister said, responding to questions from the media.

“Under the laws of Barbados only registered taxis issued with the required permits are allowed to provide taxi services and that applies to all service providers operating under a rideshare app. Therefore, personal vehicles are not allowed to provide Uber service in Barbados.”

She added that service providers must also comply with the taxi rates set by the government.

Earlier, several operators expressed their unease about how the system will work in practice and are calling for direct dialogue with Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley before the app’s official rollout.

Veteran taxi operator Colvin Yarde, who has been in the business for more than 30 years, insisted that the licence was granted without proper consultation.

“I am very particularly concerned about Uber coming to Barbados. I believe that the government has acted recklessly and irresponsibly in giving the licence for Uber to operate here in Barbados,” he told Barbados TODAY.

Yarde said the country’s 4 500 taxis contribute significantly to the national economy through taxes, insurance, fuel purchases, and parts.

“If Uber comes to Barbados and uses privately owned vehicles, that will cripple the taxi fraternity. Many taxis will go out of business, and the government will not be receiving that direct revenue from the taxi fraternity or the indirect revenue from all the associated services.”

He warned of wider economic fallout.

“When those businesses start to lose revenue, they will have to downsize, and then the National Insurance Scheme will not be receiving the amount of funds it needs to sustain the country. So you will have a chain reaction — workers laid off, less taxes being paid, less money in circulation.”

Another long-time driver, Kenneth Knight of the Bridgetown Port Taxi Co-operative, argued that Uber’s model may simply not fit Barbados’ size.

“Barbados is too small for Uber. Uber works in big countries like Canada and England — you know, the big markets — but Barbados is just two by two. We can’t handle it,” he said.

Knight added that while drivers are open to using technology, they want innovation on local terms.

“Yes, we want to get all those local pick-up apps homegrown. We are forming our own app through the Barbados Taxi Association. We don’t need a big foreign company — we’re going to work with our own.”

(BT)