MARIGOT:--- The Collectivité of Saint-Martin informs taxi drivers operating on the territory including those from the Dutch side of the island that a new organization is put in place at the "Emmanuel MONIQUE" taxi station on the Marigot Waterfront.
To reduce undeclared work and stop daily rude behavior, the Collectivité of Saint-Martin has reorganized the access of taxi operators at the Emmanuel Monique taxi station on the Marigot waterfront.
During the high tourist season, more than 2,000 people pass through this location each day, whether between the ferry terminal and the boats coming from Anguilla and St. Barth or tourists transported by buses from the Dutch side, and visitors exploring Marigot.
The Collectivité therefore deemed it crucial to organize and secure the taxi parking area, as well as the designated area in front of the ferry terminal, to make it an exclusive parking place and allow taxi drivers to work under better conditions.
Parking redevelopment work is underway to redefine the waiting and passenger pick-up routes. These works are accompanied by urban improvements aimed at encouraging taxi drivers’ loyalty to the site, in exchange of an annual contribution on their part.
The new organization consists of:
* Installing automatic barriers and high-use, shared badge readers
* Controlling access powered by a set of photocells
* Creating individual, timestamped access badges that can be controlled remotely
* Centralizing access management IT via the internet
* Dismantling barriers in the event of a demonstration on the site
* Implementing a closure system backed up by batteries in case of a power outage
As a reminder:
* Assistant drivers who do not hold Dutch nationality or do not have a European passport or ID card are not allowed to work on the Emmanuel Monique taxi station site.
* The vehicles used must be compliant, clean, and well-maintained (necessary documents, good overall appearance, bodywork in good condition, tires and accessories in good condition).
All taxi drivers are encouraged to comply with the essential criteria for regular professional activity and passenger safety, in order to structure the taxi transportation service on the French side and halt the increase of gypsy taxis.