About 1,500 open‑base taxis will be directly affected by new rules announced this week by the Land Transport Authority (LTA), prompting fresh warnings from the Fiji Open Base Taxis Association that many individual drivers face an uncertain future under the changes.
LTA’s announcement lifts a long‑running freeze on taxi permits and replaces the existing barrel draw and open rank system with a reinstated base‑and‑stand framework under which each taxi operator will be assigned a designated base and stand. LTA chief executive Irimaia Rokosawa said the Authority must now “operationalise recent regulatory amendments in a structured and transparent manner” and that the shift aims to better organise taxi operations. To ease the transition, existing operators have until September 30, 2027 to revert to former bases or to identify suitable designated taxi stands.
Vijen Prasad, president of the Fiji Open Base Taxis Association, said roughly 1,500 open‑base operators will feel the impact most keenly because many work in Lautoka and Nadi, where permanent taxi bases and space for stands are scarce. “The main business areas in Nadi and Lautoka does not offer a lot of spaces for taxis or new bases,” Mr Prasad said, warning many drivers will be forced to operate from residential or rural locations with far fewer potential passengers.
Prasad expressed particular concern for independent drivers who rely on regular street trade rather than company contracts. “Only the PSV holders who run two or more taxis will benefit from this. For us, the individual taxi‑drivers, we will struggle, and we will be competing with these bigger taxi companies not only for customers but for space as well,” he said. He added that the rules could make it harder for new entrants to win customers: without a visible central base in busy commercial areas, building a client list will be difficult.
The association also cautioned about practical service gaps during peak hours. Citing Shop N Save supermarket in Lautoka as an example, Prasad said customers leaving busy retail centres might find themselves served only by drivers tied to a particular base. “What will happen if those taxidrivers are all out? The customer will be waiting for hours,” he said, underscoring fears the reintroduced framework could reduce availability in high‑demand windows unless stands are carefully sited.
The LTA has not published details yet on how it will allocate bases and stands, how disputes will be resolved, or whether compensation or support will be available to drivers who must relocate. Rokosawa’s statement focused on transparency and a phased approach, signalling the Authority intends a measured rollout rather than an immediate enforcement sweep.
The change marks the latest development in ongoing efforts to regulate public service vehicle operations more tightly. While the extended transition period gives operators nearly three years to identify stands or reoccupy former bases, drivers’ groups say practical constraints in towns such as Lautoka and Nadi mean the deadline may deliver significant structural shifts in who controls taxi services — favouring larger PSV holders with multiple vehicles unless the LTA provides workable solutions for single‑vehicle operators.
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