St. John Taxi Services Corporation Moves Closer to 20-Year Lease Despite Continued Opposition

The Senate’s Budget Committee advanced a 20-yr lease for the St. John Taxi Services Corp., despite objections from independent drivers who warned the agreement could create a monopoly at the Cruz Bay taxi stand and restrict their ability to operate freely.

The St. John Taxi Services Corporation is one step closer to securing a 20-year lease from the V.I. Department of Property and Procurement after the Committee on Budget, Appropriations, and Finance voted in favor of the measure on Tuesday.

Bill 36-0092, sponsored by Senator Angel Bolques, was held in committee when it was first discussed in June. At the time, independent taxi drivers who operate in Cruz Bay were opposed to granting a lease to a single taxi association. Lawmakers were also skeptical about the Corporation’s plan to charge independent drivers double the cost of members, and expressed misgivings about internal structures and processes.

When the bill returned to committee for its second hearing, Bolques reminded lawmakers that the Corporation has operated without a lease for an extended time. He argued that this arrangement left them in “a stagnant capability, with little ability to invest, grow or modernize operations.” Approving the lease, he said, provides the “foundational legal framework” to establish infrastructure like a dispatch booth and signage.