How many maxis in TT?

How many maxi-taxis operate on our roads? Auditor-General, Jocelyn Thomas, is unable to tell, she complained in her “Special Audit of the Transport Division”, dated June 10, laid in the House of Representatives on Friday. The Report condemned the system of inspection for taxis and maxi-taxis, amid other criticisms of the Licensing Office of the Ministry of Works and Transport. The Auditor-General said: “Maxi-taxis are required to be inspected annually. Based on the details posted in the Inspection Register, it was not possible to reconcile the number of maxi-taxis in service against those inspected at the Transport Division. Further, there is no database of taxis or maxi-taxis that allows for the determination of the total population of these public service vehicles at any given time”. She also complained about ‘touts’ at the Licensing Office, saying: “The presence of unauthorised persons known as ‘touts’ as previously mentioned under the registration process, was also found to exist at the inspection area. The actions of these persons compromised the independence and integrity of the operations of the Inspection Division”.

Otherwise, of the 55 vehicle testing stations for private vehicles (not taxis), the Auditor-General had inspected 18, finding most (16) not properly completing their monthly returns to the Licensing Authority, and most (12) not showing proof of adequate liability insurance. She criticised: “Authorised examiners at two testing stations appeared to be employees of the Transport Division. It was observed that the monthly returns were stored haphazardly upon their receipt at the Transport Division”. Also in the Report, the Transport Commissioner agreed with many concerns of the Auditor-General. He said: “The matter of trucks bearing registration numbers previously assigned to motor cycles is an external racket which is being addressed by the Police. The use of old registration numbers on used foreign vehicles is continuously being addressed by the Licensing Officers and the Police. The use of ‘P’ cars as taxis is a national problem that needs to be addressed but it must be noted that in instances when the matter goes before the court they are difficult to prove”.