Fri | Mar 29, 2024

Taxi protest sputters, leaving Newman in smoke

Published:Tuesday | June 23, 2020 | 12:22 AMJason Cross/Gleaner Writer
Taxi operator Fredrick Fox, who plies the Half-Way Tree to Papine route, speaks on Monday about the challenges he believes would arise from a fare increase. At least one transport lobby has called for a 100 per cent rise in fares.
Taxi operator Fredrick Fox, who plies the Half-Way Tree to Papine route, speaks on Monday about the challenges he believes would arise from a fare increase. At least one transport lobby has called for a 100 per cent rise in fares.

A WEEK after laying down an ultimatum to shut down the transport sector if a fare hike was not granted, bus and taxi lobbyist Egeton Newman’s bombast spat and sputtered before engaging first gear.

Newman, president of the Transport Operators Development Sustainable Services (TODSS), was disgusted that Monday’s strike, telegraphed to send warning shots to the transport ministry, did not rally the coalition of forces expected to arm-wrestle the Government for a 100 per cent increase.

But Newman is convinced that politics was at play in the failed protest and denounced the actions of the majority of operators who picked up passengers as usual.

“Quite a number of the public transport sector bus and taxi operators did not support the withdrawal of services because of more than one reason. This hinges on politics rather than anything else,” he told The Gleaner.

“There were persons going around saying to others that they should not withdraw their services.”

Newman, however, took consolation from reports that a number of operators in St Catherine withdrew their services, but admitted that the flagging support did not generate enough momentum to have an effect.

“I am disappointed. I am upset,” he said.

The operators last received an increase in fares in 2013.

Doubling fares impractical

Financial analyst Ralston Hyman supported the call for a fare hike, but believes that a 50 per cent increase would have been more pragmatic.

“The public would be hard-pressed, but I don’t see a big deal. They deserve an increase. A wickedness,” he said yesterday when contacted by The Gleaner.

Dennis Powell, operator of a taxi that traverses through Half-Way Tree, was insistent that Newman’s clamour for a doubling of fares was impractical even though cabbies were in desperate need.

“I am not OK with the $100, but nuh money nuh deh. ... Right yah now is not a good time to call for the raise, because if the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) nuh get nuh raise as well, everybody ago run to them,” Powell said.

jason.cross@gleanerjm.com