Minister Heyliger-Marten confirms nearly 1,000 Taxis, and Buses registered, "Let that sink in"

GREAT BAY--Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT), Grisha Heyliger-Marten, has revealed that the latest verification exercise has confirmed over 600 registered taxi drivers and more than 300 bus drivers, bringing the total number of operators to nearly 1,000.

The discovery was made through the reinstated confirmation letter process, which began earlier this year as part of efforts to clean up the public transportation sector and gain a clear, accurate understanding of the industry.

“Let that sink in – we are looking at a public transportation market on the Dutch side with more than 600 taxis and over 300 buses,” Minister Heyliger-Marten said. “This exercise has already dispelled misconceptions about who holds permits and has highlighted urgent questions about long-term sustainability.”

Breakdown of Findings

• Taxis: Over 600 registered, compared to the previous assumption of 521. Of these, about 400 were issued confirmation letters, with detailed verification completed for 247 drivers.

• Buses: Over 300 registered, significantly higher than the earlier assumption of about 200.

• Driver demographics: The age distribution shows a concentration of drivers between 61 and 80 years old, raising sustainability concerns for the industry.

• Citizenship: Contrary to popular belief, the majority of permit holders are Dutch citizens, with smaller numbers of Dominicans, Jamaicans, Guyanese, and others.

• Assistant drivers: Of 400 confirmed taxi permits, 75 have assistant drivers, 40 of whom are over the age of 65.

Responding to longstanding rumors and speculation about permits being used as political favors, sources of supplemental income, or rented out to non-permit holders, Minister Heyliger-Marten confirmed that the verification process is directly addressing these issues.

Through the “Know Your Customer” process, the Ministry is conducting a deep dive into permit holder data, including names, CRIB numbers, and employment details. Preliminary findings indicate that a small number of permit holders do hold other jobs, raising compliance questions, while cases of multiple licenses held by one individual appear to date back years before her tenure.

“Yes, during this cleanup we have begun to identify instances where permits are not being used as intended, and in some cases individuals may be engaged in other employment,” the Minister said. “We are addressing these cases. The Integrity Chamber previously raised similar concerns, and we are taking them seriously. A comprehensive report will be issued to the public once this phase of verification is completed.”

She stressed that while some of the questionable permits were issued just before previous elections, the majority of cases involving multiple licenses date back further and require legal review to determine the appropriate corrective action.

𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬

The Inspectorate of Economic Transportation (IETA) has announced a suspension of the issuance of new confirmation letters until further notice. Minister Heyliger-Marten stressed that this is a suspension, not a cancellation. Permit holders who submitted documents before the August 8 deadline are not affected. The suspension allows time to consolidate data, finalize a cleaner registry, and prepare updated policies.

By law, permits unused for more than six months can be revoked under Article 16, paragraph 3 of the National Ordinance for Passenger Transport. The Minister noted that her administration has already allowed far beyond six months for compliance.

𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞-𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦

Minister Heyliger-Marten outlined a comprehensive five-phase plan for reforming public transportation:

1. Data Verification and Compliance Review (July–August 2025): Cleaning transportation permit records, verifying insurance, road tax, and inspections, and establishing a database of active versus dormant permits.

2. Permit Rationalization and Driver Certification (late 2025): Revoking non-compliant or dormant permits (with an appeals process), and launching certification programs covering island knowledge, customer service, safety, and mandatory medical checkups.

3. Legislative Framework and Digital Dispatching (2026): Drafting amendments to the Passenger Traffic Ordinance and piloting mandatory digital dispatching.

4. Unified Transport Policy (2027): Submitting finalized legislation to Parliament and consolidating reforms into a unified national transportation policy.

5. Central Transportation Authority (2027–2028): Establishing an independent authority to oversee public transportation, removing government interference and ensuring compliance under law.

The Minister emphasized that these reforms will be carried out in consultation with stakeholders. “We will not impose these changes without dialogue. Stakeholder engagement will remain central to the process, but I want to be clear: reforms such as digital dispatching will eventually become mandatory,” she said.

She also confirmed strengthened collaboration between the Department of Economic Licenses (DEL), IETA, and the Receiver’s Office to ensure consistent databases, enforced protocols, and health and safety standards. The confirmation letter process will continue annually to guarantee compliance.

“In closing, I want to assure both the public and the industry that this matter has my full attention,” said Minister Heyliger-Marten. “It will take time, but we will get there. My team and I remain committed to building a transparent, accountable, and sustainable public transportation system – one that serves residents and visitors, while protecting the integrity of the industry.”

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