Just four taxi drivers disciplined for not using meters

Just four white-taxi drivers have been disciplined by Transport Malta so far this year for carrying passengers without using meters. The Sunday Times of Malta recently found drivers demanding excessive upfront fares when it carried out an exercise at three taxi ranks around the capital. In recorded conversations, just one in six drivers reluctantly agreed to turn on his meter after several minutes of negotiations. The others quoted prices up to €12 above the estimated meter fare. Despite the drivers brazenly asking for upfront fares in that exercise, Transport Malta said it was difficult to fine drivers because the Enforcement Directorate received complaints from tourists after they had left Malta. Full story in The Times of Malta and the e-paper on timesofmalta.com Premium.