The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

MONTHS after rejecting a proposal to partner with Uber, the Bahamas Taxi Cab Union has thrown its support behind a Bahamian-built ride-hailing app that it says offers passengers Uber-style convenience while letting drivers keep more of what they earn.

Taxi driver Lamont Nixon created Aqua Rides. Union president Tyrone Butler said more than 300 licensed taxi drivers are now on the system. It also takes bookings from tourists before they arrive in the country.

Passengers book through the app and see an estimated fare before confirming, based on government-regulated taxi rates. After a year of accepting only cash, the app now also takes credit cards, a change Mr Nixon said has brought in more users, both locals and tourists.

Mr Butler said the app did “almost the same thing and more” as Uber, with one key difference for drivers.

“The taxi drivers that participate in this programme doesn’t have to worry about paying all those hefty fees, and the company taking a big chunk of the income because that’s not the goal,” he said. “The goal is to provide a opportunity for the locals to generate their own income.”

He said most of each fare goes directly to the driver.

Every Aqua Rides driver is a licensed public service driver using a public service vehicle, which Bahamian law requires of anyone carrying passengers for payment. To sign up, drivers must provide their public service licence, current insurance, details of a suitable public service vehicle and a photograph of themselves. Mr Butler said only thoroughly vetted drivers are allowed on the system, and that the union holds them accountable.

The app also has safety features. Passengers can share their ride with a family member, who can follow the trip live. An SOS button connects passengers to an Aqua Rides operator or to 911, depending on how serious the situation is.

Mr Nixon said the ride-sharing feature was built partly with young people in mind, after recent incidents left families wanting to keep track of them when they go out.

He said the app had been operating for more than a year. Launching during the slow tourist season let the team find and fix problems before the system was busy.

For drivers, he said, the app means more work, without having to wait for fares at hotels or the airport. Jobs now come from Airbnbs and other places. He said local passengers have also responded well, including people who work late. Some used to depend on friends to pick them up at night but can now rely on the app.

Mr Butler said the union discussed the app with the Minister of Transport some weeks ago, and the minister was pleased with it.

The union’s endorsement comes after debate over ride-hailing in The Bahamas. Uber does not have a licence to operate in the country. In January, Mr Butler said the union had “soundly rejected” a proposal to partner with Uber after putting it to members. He said the model was unworkable because private vehicles cannot legally carry paying passengers, and that many licensed drivers had instead begun developing their own apps.

Days later, businessman Mac Macklin said he was in advanced talks with Uber’s US headquarters to act as its local representative. He said he would proceed with licensed drivers outside the union and charge government-set fares.

In February, a crash left a Grand Bahama preschool teacher with a broken neck and torn eyelids after she had relied for months on a driver illegally offering “Uber services”. The Ministry of Energy and Transport had warned in April 2025 that offering Uber or ride-share services using private vehicles is illegal. Then-Transport Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis later said any Uber-style service must use only drivers regulated under the Road Traffic Act.