WAVIS BAY – The long-awaited N$5 million taxi rank in Walvis Bay is finally operational.
The taxi rank was officially opened on Thursday last week by the mayor, Uilika Nambahu, who said the new facility was long overdue as the community had been pleading for it for years.
Nambahu said the new rank will enhance the safety of passengers while at the same time promote order for both bus and taxi operators as well as commuters.
The new taxi rank makes provision for both long-distance vehicles to Windhoek, and further north and south, as well as daily commutes between Walvis Bay and Swakopmund.
The taxi rank, which is located next to the Kuisebmond fire station, can accommodate at least 40 minibuses. It also has stalls for rent.
According to Nambahu, the public transport sector requires prudent and visionary analysis in order to craft workable and safer ways for the movement of goods and services.
“The chaos experienced in Korris Street, where taxis previously operated from, will be something of the past once all operators move over to this new facility. The transport sector cannot be left to itself to fully regulate itself without prudent strategies being implemented, because this is the sector that sits at the core of our economy,” the mayor said.
The new Kuisebmond Taxi Rank will be managed by United Ocean Transport cc, on behalf of the Walvis Bay Council.