Senate Advances St. John Taxi Lease, Holds Funding Bill

On Tuesday, the Senate Budget, Appropriations and Finance Committee advanced a 20-year lease for the St. John Taxi Services Corporation while holding a separate $400,000 funding measure for the Virgin Islands Taxicab Commission.

Lawmakers debated both bills amid broader efforts to reform the territory’s taxi industry, focusing on equitable access, tourism impacts, and modernization of administrative systems.

The St. John Cruz Bay taxi stand has operated for years without a formal long-term lease, reportedly making it difficult for drivers to invest in upgrades or improve service. Bill No. 36-0092 would grant a 20-year lease to the St. John Taxi Services Corporation, which supporters said would provide stability and a path toward modernization of the stand.

“This bill, if passed, changes that. It provides a foundational legal framework needed to move forward, to build a proper dispatch booth, install signage, improve customer service and give the government better tools to regulate and oversee this important transportation hub,” said Sen. Angel L. Bolques Jr., the bill’s sponsor.