The case of the ‘floating’ taxi driver

Angry ‘floating’ taxi drivers yesterday expressed their opposition to a directive from metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) for them to join driver unions at various stations by demonstrating in some parts of Accra.
Floating taxi (and trotro) drivers are those who do not belong to any driver union and, therefore, carry out their business driving around the city looking for passengers.

The protesting drivers said the directive, which had earlier been issued by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) and the Ga East and West assemblies that they join driver unions at the various taxi stations for easy recognition and identification, was a ploy to frustrate their efforts at earning decent living.

Some of the drivers who vented their spleen at the AMA in their demonstration at Abeka Junction in Accra, said they were fed up with what they described as harassment by the AMA task force to compel them to obey the directive and swore to make the demonstration a daily affair till the assembly abandoned any further enforcement of the directive.

The various assemblies that issued the directive may have very good motives, but as has almost always been the case, the issue of how best to implement the decision has left much to be desired.

In many jurisdictions, it is the practice that cab drivers are licensed to operate as such, after rigorous tests to ensure that apart from the fact that they are qualified to operate their vehicles, they also have very fine knowledge of their areas of operation, which are usually well defined.

This makes the taxi driver a fine tourist guide for the visitor who does not know town.

Indeed, a few decades ago, officials of the assemblies ‘interviewed’ prospective applicants to satisfy themselves that in addition to having a valid driving licence, the driver had a fair knowledge of the area of operation.

Currently, city authorities appear to be issuing taxi driving licences to all prospective applicants, without recourse to their areas of operation and without ensuring that the drivers have first registered with the required union.

Their main concern, we dare say, has been revenue generation, which has led to the current situation.

The Daily Graphic would like to recommend to the assemblies to carry out a gradual implementation of the directive by renewing taxi driving licences for only those who show proof of membership of the requisite unions. Thus, over a period, only drivers who are registered with unions will have the assembly’s licences to operate as such. The assemblies can then prosecute taxi drivers who operate without the requisite permission.

Another issue raised by the taxi drivers which, we believe, should be looked into by the assemblies is the lack of sufficient lorry stations from where the taxis will operate.

With the gradual implementation of the directive, the assemblies will have sufficient time to expand existing stations or build new ones for use by the taxi operators.

Currently, most of our taxi ranks just ‘grow’ at new settlements and sometimes overflow so much with members that most of the taxis are forced by circumstances to ‘float’.

We know also that some driver union executives make joining a union so expensive that new taxi and trotro drivers are forced to ‘freelance’ in their day-to-day activities.

There is, therefore, the need to look, if ever possible, into the operations of these driver unions, so that unnecessary impediments are not put in the way of those who want to become members.

The MMDAs should look at a long-term solution to the ‘menace’ of floating taxis and not do things that will lead to demonstrations, for the country is becoming fatigued with demonstrations and strikes.

Daily Graphic/Ghana