Police blitz on pirate taxis

passengers.
Such cars were not insured to carry passengers and of late the majority of accidents recorded involved them.
National traffic police spokesperson Inspector Tigere Chigome, said those arrested in the operation would be fined and their vehicles impounded.
Police would make the passengers disembark from the impounded the vehicles.
“We have realised that these vehicles such as Mitsubishi Chariots, Toyotas and Nissan Serena are contributing a lot to road carnage.
“We have also realised that most of these vehicles are uncertified fit, not registered and in most cases it is the public who suffer the consequences as they cannot claim anything after the accidents.
“People should not board vehicles that are meant to transport families but should use registered modes of transport,” he said.
Turning to lorries, he said they were meant for transporting goods not passengers.
He also said motorists driving public transport must adhere to ferrying passengers within set carrying capacity.
“You see most of them with tents and benches but that is not their purpose.
“On the same note, commuter omnibuses and buses should stick by their carrying capacity. If found guilty, the driver would pay fine of the excess, refund the person and the person will also be made to disembark from the vehicle,” he said.
Insp Chigome said there was an outcry from registered operators who complained that they were losing business to the taxi operators. Most of the people operating taxis are former foreign currency dealers who were made redundant following the introduction of the use of multiple currencies in February 2009.
Most operate on the country’s major highways while others ply the city/Avondale-Avenues-Parirenyatwa route.