Heyliger-Marten moves to mandate training for taxi and transportation operators

GREAT BAY--Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication Grisha Heyliger-Marten says Government is moving toward mandatory training for transportation operators and a new digital regulatory system designed to strengthen oversight, improve customer service and give passengers greater transparency when using taxis and buses in St. Maarten.

The Minister said two companies have been engaged to develop a training syllabus covering customer service, marketing, upselling the destination and improving the overall business practices of transportation operators. While the initiative will extend to the wider hospitality industry, the training will be customized to address the specific responsibilities of drivers who interact directly with residents and visitors.

Heyliger-Marten said Government is also developing a standardized cultural script that can be incorporated into the training. The intention is to ensure that drivers and other frontline hospitality workers have a consistent base of knowledge about St. Maarten, including its culture, history, food and other aspects of the destination that visitors regularly ask about.

The Minister said both the training syllabus and cultural component are expected to be finalized before the end of the year.

Once introduced, transportation operators will be given time to complete the required training. Heyliger-Marten said Government is considering giving the hospitality sector approximately one year to meet the requirement and is examining the legal mechanism through which the training could ultimately become mandatory.

She also indicated that Government could consider subsidizing some of the training costs, although the structure and method of implementation have not yet been finalized.

For taxi operators in particular, Heyliger-Marten made clear that the training is intended to become part of the compliance framework governing the sector.

“Every taxi driver, the compliance is going to be that they have to do training,” the Minister said during the interview.

According to Heyliger-Marten, the training program is only one component of a broader transformation. Government also intends to develop a digital transportation system that would provide regulators with significantly greater oversight of taxis and buses operating throughout the country.

The proposed system could allow passengers to identify the licensed transportation provider serving them, see the approved fare for a particular journey and provide direct feedback about their experience.

Heyliger-Marten gave the example of a passenger being able to use the system to confirm which taxi picked them up and, following the trip, submit a rating or complaint directly to the regulator if the service did not meet the required standard.

The system is not intended to function primarily as a payment platform. Instead, the Minister said its purpose would be regulatory, providing Government with a clearer picture of who is operating, where services are being provided and whether operators are complying with established rules.

Fare transparency is another element being considered. Heyliger-Marten said passengers should be able to know in advance what the established fare is between two points, reducing uncertainty and providing an avenue to address complaints about overcharging.

She acknowledged that the taxi sector has also requested an adjustment to existing fares. That request is under consideration and would have to go through the appropriate socio-economic review process before any changes are made.

The digital platform could eventually also strengthen oversight of public buses. Heyliger-Marten said Government wants a transportation system residents can depend on, including clearer routes and operating times, with the digital system potentially providing regulators with information on whether buses are following their required routes.

The Minister acknowledged that achieving such a system will require changes to the existing transportation framework, which she described as outdated and in need of stronger regulation and enforcement.

Government is expected to move to the procurement stage for the digital system following approval of the necessary budget. Heyliger-Marten said the next step is to issue a Request for Proposals for development of the application and regulatory platform.

The training and digitalization initiatives are being developed while the Ministry conducts a broader cleanup of transportation permits and establishes a more accurate database of active operators.

Heyliger-Marten has said the goal is not simply to reduce the number of operators, but to establish a transportation sector in which legitimate operators are identifiable, properly insured, trained, compliant with the law and accountable for the level of service they provide.

The Minister said stakeholder consultation will form part of any legislative changes affecting taxi and bus operators, noting that reforms to transportation laws will require discussions with those directly affected.

Together, the proposed training requirements and digital regulatory system would represent a significant change in how St. Maarten supervises its public transportation industry, shifting the focus toward professional standards, customer accountability, better data and greater transparency.

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