There are penalties if a taxi driver refuses or fails to take people on short runs.
Land Transport Authority Chairman Vijay Maharaj says if a driver fails to take a passenger on the short route, the driver can be issued with a Traffic Infringement Notice for Conduct of Driver and the owner can also be issued with a Traffic Infringement Notice for Failure to Comply with Public Service Vehicle Permit.
He says the authority can cancel or suspend a permit if a condition subject to which the permit was granted has not been complied if the breach is serious and frequent.
This comes after Fijivillage raised the issue with LTA that concerns are being raised that some taxi drivers refuse to take people on short runs, and often tell them to get out of the taxi.
Two people have raised the issue that a taxi driver had told them to get out of the taxi outside MHCC in Suva when they had told him where they were going.
A woman had also raised concerns after a taxi driver had refused to take her to a nearby destination in Nakasi.
Maharaj says the driver of a taxi must proceed to the hirer’s destination by the shortest and most direct route unless the driver has reasonable cause for not taking a passenger.
He says it is the responsibility of the driver and the permit holder to provide the service to all members of the public as per condition in the permit.
Maharaj says the public may text LTA on 582 if they encounter such situations however they must include the location, time, date and taxi registration.
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