The government has scrapped the Open Taxi Rank System and is bringing back the Base and Stand system.

This follows Parliament’s passage of the Land Transport (Amendment) Bill 2025 yesterday, which introduces these changes.

Minister for Public Works and Transport Ro Filipe Tuisawau says the amendment is a necessary cost correction to Fiji’s public transport regulatory framework, specifically targeting governance and operations in the taxi industry.

Minister for Public Works and Transport Ro Filipe Tuisawau. [Photo Credit: Parliament of Fiji]

He says this move is more than a procedural adjustment, as it responds to serious operational, enforcement, and policy shortcomings that have emerged since the OTRS was introduced in April 2022.

Ro Filipe further states that the Open Taxi Rank System failed in practice, causing traffic congestion in towns like Suva, Lautoka, and Nadi. Authorities like the LTA, police, and councils found it hard to monitor taxis, as drivers were not tied to a specific area.

The Minister says rural and peri-urban areas were left with little or no service, while towns were overcrowded with taxis, creating gaps in transport access and making things harder for people in remote areas.

The return of the base system is expected to fix these issues, improve service in rural areas, and support better enforcement.

He says illegal taxi operations increased under the Open Rank System, with nearly 2,000 illegal taxis and over 2,500 traffic fines issued between 2022 and 2024. Many used private vehicles without permits, affecting the income of legal taxi drivers.

The Minister says the new system will make it easier for authorities to control taxi operations and maintain order.

He says public consultations across the country showed strong support for ending the Open Taxi Rank System. People also called for the PSV levy to be removed, which has now been done.

Key changes in the law include new definitions that replace “zone” with “base” and require taxis to operate from specific stands or bases, aligned with ward boundaries set by the Fiji Bureau of Statistics.

Ro Filipe says the changes will also create business opportunities for iTaukei landowners, who can now set up taxi bases on their land, which is expected to bring income, create jobs, and help local communities.

The government will work with the iTaukei Affairs Ministry, LTA, and Trade Ministry to ensure fair rollout.

The Transport Minister says new taxi permits will mainly be given to individuals, not companies, to avoid disputes.

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