Senior reporter
otto.carrington@cnc3.co.tt
Route 3 Maxi Taxi drivers have been granted approval to use the Priority Bus Route to Champs Fleurs intersection for two months.
Route 3 maxi taxi drivers, or green band maxi drivers as they are commonly called, work the San Fernando to Port-of-Spain and the Chaguanas to Port-of-Spain routes.
The trial use was initiated after an administrative issue that previously restricted them from using the entire PBR, limiting them to entry from the Barataria intersection.
The maxi taxi operators are pleased, saying access to the bus route will benefit both them and their passengers.
Speaking to Guardian Media, Route 3 Maxi Taxi Association president Vickash Kissoondath said, “Right now, we have access to this, it’s a trial period until the 18th of May. We can access from the Champs Fleurs intersection to go into Port-of-Spain and to come back.”
He added, “Well basically, we had discussions with the Minister of Works and Transport and the permanent secretary, together with the Traffic Management team in December. The agreement was that we did not want passes for all green band maxis; we just wanted a pass system that allows them to function and meet the same criteria as the red band.”
Kissoondath said after the trial period, they should be able to obtain passes with the same criteria as the red band maxi while using the Priority Bus Route.
