A government task force has been formed to crack down on the illegal operations of gypsy taxis on St. Thomas.
"Operation Gypsy Taxis," a task force comprising V.I. Taxi Commission investigators, the V.I. Police Department's Traffic Unit and Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs enforcement officers, began Tuesday.
"We will be concentrating our efforts mainly on the dollar buses and vehicles that are illegally modified," DLCA Commissioner-designate Andrew Rutnik said in a statement.
There has been a "dramatic" increase in the number of illegal taxis operating on St. Thomas — a development that has adversely impacted the legal taxi industry, Runtik said.
Passengers who are riding on an illegal taxi detained by the task force will be ordered to disembark and find another method of transportation at their own expense.
At Senate hearings, gypsies have been defended by residents because drivers will take single passengers wherever they want to go. Residents have complained that licensed taxis sometimes refuse single riders or won't take passengers where they want to go.
An assessment will be made later if "Operation Gypsy Taxi," currently restricted to St. Thomas, will be expanded to St. Croix or St. John.
