The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has lifted the freeze on licensed taxi permits, a move that will reset how taxi services are allocated and managed across Fiji. In a public notice released on Tuesday, the authority said the uplift is effective immediately and follows Cabinet approval of a new Taxi Framework in October 2025. The change signals the end of several practices that have governed the sector for years and introduces a tighter regulatory model it says will be fairer and more accountable.
Key measures announced by the LTA include the removal of the Open Taxi Rank System (OTRS) and the scrapping of the long-used barrel draw allocation method. Under the new arrangements, operators will be required to return to their original base or stand, and a formal Base and Stand system will be introduced to replace ad hoc rank operations. The LTA said these measures are intended to ensure more consistent service operations and reduce disorder at busy pick-up points.
A significant legal and administrative change is that taxi permits will now be issued only to natural persons. The LTA’s notice specifies that applicants must meet prescribed household income eligibility requirements to qualify for a permit. The authority framed the eligibility criteria and the individual-only rule as steps to strengthen governance in the sector and promote a merit-based distribution of permits, though the notice did not publish the detailed income thresholds or application guidelines.
Operators currently holding zone permits will be given a transition period to respond to the new rules by submitting base letters to the LTA. The public notice confirmed that zone-holders must declare their intended base as part of the switch to the Base and Stand system, but it did not outline the length of the transition period or the deadlines for submission. The LTA said further administrative details would follow as part of implementation.
The Taxi Framework, developed in conjunction with the Ministry of Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport, is presented by authorities as a comprehensive reform to restore order and fairness after an extended period of regulation that industry stakeholders and the public had criticised as opaque. By restricting permits to individuals and removing random allocation mechanics such as the barrel draw, regulators say they aim to reduce permit hoarding and speculative holding by companies or syndicates, and to ensure licences reach genuine drivers and small operators.
The LTA’s announcement is likely to prompt a period of adjustment across the industry. Taxi operators, unions and commuter advocacy groups will be watching for the detailed eligibility rules, the mechanics of the new Base and Stand system, and the timeline for transitioning zone permits. The authority’s emphasis on governance and merit-based allocation sets a new regulatory tone for public transport in Fiji, but the practical impact will depend on how quickly and clearly the LTA publishes application criteria, enforcement measures and the transition timetable.
For now, the immediate effect is the removal of the permit freeze and the official end of the OTRS and barrel draw practices. The LTA has said these reforms will reshape the taxi industry around stricter regulation and service standards, while promising further information to guide operators through the implementation process.
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