Almost 50 Percent of Taxi Operators Have Not Renewed Their License; Taxicab Accounting Numbers Still Off

The Virgin Islands Taxicab Commission continues to struggle with enforcement in its operation, as documents presented to the Legislature last Friday noted that almost half of registered taxi operators have not renewed their business license for fiscal year 2022.  At a cost of $130 a year, those drivers owe the commission an accumulative amount of $117,650. A total of 905 drivers have not paid with just one month left until the end of the fiscal year. Vernice Gumbs, acting executive director of the TaxiCab Commission reported that drivers have complained of a slow-down in business as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and have therefore been unable to remain current with their payments. “Because there was no work for the past two years, they have not been able to fulfill their obligations because things have been slow,” she noted Ms. Gumbs explained that the commission also does not have enough enforcement officers or an appropriate system to keep track of those delinquent operators ...