Commuters in sections of St James are raising concerns about sudden increases in taxi fares in the days following Hurricane Melissa, alleging that some operators have been charging well above the normal approved rates.

According to passengers who spoke with Observer online, fares on several routes reportedly jumped without warning, with some operators charging as much as two times the usual cost.

One commuter said a trip that normally costs $200 was quoted at $300 by one driver, while another route that typically carries a $250 fare escalated to as high as $1,000 on the day after the storm.

“Right after the storm, the fare was $1000 fi go Falmouth and the normal fare is $250. Then the Thursday it was $500,” explained one passenger.

The commuter described multiple encounters with different drivers, many of whom gave inconsistent reasons for the price increases. One driver reportedly claimed the higher fares were due to long fuel lines at gas stations in St James, explaining that taxis had to wait for a long time to purchase gas as shortages and high demand intensified after the hurricane.

However, passengers questioned the justification, noting that fuel-related challenges do not give operators the authority to change fares.

“What I said to the driver is that I get weh ya seh but that’s not reason for you to raise the fare. You can go earlier, you can go later, or even use a different station. I well know seh the taxi association never announced any fare increase,” one commenter said.

Commuters also claim that the fare hikes were widespread, not isolated.

Some say drivers became dismissive or confrontational when questioned, with one operator reportedly telling a pregnant passenger that if she could not pay the inflated charge, she would have to “stand and wait until night”.

When asked if they’ve made any reports, the commuters said no, expressing hopes that it will return to normalcy soon.

“It’s literally just like cat and mouse so you ah say, ‘Okay mi don’t have any other choice’, memba seh right after the storm people did a go look fi people wah dem nah hear from so you really nah medz seh you ah spend a bag a money you just wah know seh the person okay and dem know that so them tek advantage a dat,” the commuter explained.

In a recent media briefing, Transport Minister Daryl Vaz gave directives that any public passenger operators caught overcharging passengers will face the full force of the law.

“Zero tolerance. Zero tolerance. Between the police and the Transport Authority, carry out as many sting operations and seize as many. The more the merrier because one thing we not going to accept in this disaster is unconscionable behaviour,” said Vaz.