Taxi fares in west Tobago were increased by $1 on Tuesday.

This means the fare from the ANR Robinson International Airport, Crown Point, to Scarborough is now $10, while people living in communities in and around the Gulf City Mall, Lowlands, will have to pay $8 to get to the capital.

Short drops between Crown Point and Scarborough have moved from $5 to $6 and off-route passengers will also be required to pay an extra $1 to get to their homes or workplaces.

Last month, president of the West-End Taxi Association Andy Clinton signalled that the fares would be increased to offset the rising cost of vehicle maintenance.

“Every day, we seeing that parts going up for vehicles and it is becoming very strenuous on us,” he said.

On that occasion, Clinton said the health protocols to minimise the spread of covid19 had severely affected the industry.

“When the covid (19) started we used to carry two passengers and then the Government decided to have a little leniency when people started kicking up. But for the longest while we have been carrying three passengers. So those are the main reasons for the increase.”

On Tuesday, commuters said they understood the plight of the taxi drivers.

But a Canaan woman commented, “It may seem like a small increase but it adds up. What we will do?

“Everybody have to live and the taxi drivers, too, have been feeling the pinch for a long time because they could not carry the full number of passengers.”

A Lambeau man said covid19 has affected everyone.

“The numbers starting to go down, but everybody have to bear the burden of adjusting to life after the pandemic. It will be hard but everybody have to survive,” he said.

Last week, president of the Windward Taxi Drivers Association Bindley DeCoteau said fares in east Tobago will increase by $1 from April 1.

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