Life has not been easy for many taxi drivers in Nausori following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
For many, this has meant taking home less pay, or returning the vehicles to their owners for an indefinite period.
Arjun Chetty, 66, has been driving taxi in Nausori for 46 years now.
He operates from the Nausori Market base.
For Mr Chetty, the business has taken a nosedive since Suva recorded its first two positive cases of COVID-19, followed by the lockdown last Friday – April 3, 2020.
He said for the past few days, life had become very difficult for him and his family.
“Business is very bad. Sometimes I make $10 or $20 in a day. Otherwise, I am just parked here whole day,” the father of two said.
Mr Chetty said in the past, he used to make $100 to $120 a day.
“I don’t know what else to do. Other drivers also wait here whole day. People are not coming for cabs.
“Since the lockdown, business has gotten worse. I guess people are just staying home.”
He said it was difficult to feed his family with very less income.
Another taxi driver Ashwin Kavitesh said he had to return the taxi to his owner because he could not meet the weekly payment.
Taxi business takes a nosedive in Nausori – Chetty
Life has not been easy for many taxi drivers in Nausori following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.More – https://www.fijitimes.com/covid-19-taxi-business-takes-a-nosedive-in-nausori-chetty/
Posted by The Fiji Times on Monday, April 6, 2020
“I have to pay $400 a week to the owner but with this lockdown, I hardly earn $20 a day,” Mr Kavitesh said.
“So it is of no use for me to keep the taxi. I will just have to look for some other jobs to support my family,” the 27-year-old said.
