Last month, when a cruise ship docked at the port, these taxi drivers operated in the area.
Muhammad Pathan said he was charged $25 for entering the seaport to drop his passengers.
On regular days, he said, taxi drivers who don’t have a permit to operate at the seaport were only charged $5.
Taxi drivers who have a permit, which costs $25, are only charged $1 if they pick or drop passengers at the seaport.
NMI Taxi Association president Edwin Pangelinan told Variety he has already informed his members about the rules at the seaport.
If they operate at the seaport they should comply with its regulations, he added.
But Pathan said the seaport charged them $25 whether or not they have passengers whenever they entered the seaport.
“They should have a public notice regarding theirs regulations,” he said.
Rabby Syed, Saipan City Taxi Association president, is asking seaport officials to reduce the entrance fee.
“In this economic crisis they should be reasonable with their fees,” he added.
Syed said he doesn’t allow his members to drop their passengers outside the seaport.
Variety learned that some tourists have complained after taxi drivers dropped them outside the entrance of the seaport.
Some local residents are also complaining about taxi drivers who refused to transport them.
