MP York: SXM Taxi App could be key to tackling St. Maarten’s traffic crisis

GREAT BAY--MP Darryl York told Parliament’s Committee of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (CTEATT) on August 26 that the SXM Taxi App could become an essential tool in addressing St. Maarten’s worsening traffic problem.

He said the platform’s real-time data collection and usage should be viewed not only as a service for riders and drivers, but also as a potential resource for government’s traffic management and planning.

“Our biggest problem today is traffic, and it’s on everyone’s agenda,” York said. “When I look at how Uber is used in the United States and especially in Europe, governments form unique partnerships with these companies for data collection and data usage. That’s what I see here—a unique opportunity for St. Maarten to make use of the SXM Taxi App to support traffic studies and long-term planning.”

York pointed out that St. Maarten currently lacks active mechanisms for gathering transportation data, which makes planning more difficult. He said the app’s features could provide valuable insights such as average waiting times, traffic congestion patterns, and commuting trends. “When government talks about mobility, equity, and congestion, this app could be part of the solution. It has the potential to become an integral part of a future traffic management system if used the right way,” he told the meeting.

The MP asked whether the app’s promoters had already discussed these possibilities with government or whether such dialogue still needed to take place. He said that aligning visions on this front would ensure the technology benefits not only riders and drivers but the broader community.

Finally, York raised concerns about data security, noting that the app collects sensitive information such as licenses and IDs. He asked whether the system had strong protections in place to safeguard against cyberattacks. “We’re living in an age of cyber risks, and if this app is going to be relied on as critical infrastructure, its back end must have the necessary layers of security,” he said.

(𝘠𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘥𝘢𝘺'𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘟𝘔 𝘛𝘢𝘹𝘪 𝘈𝘱𝘱 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴)

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