The Minister of Transport has signed a release announcing strict checks on taxi drivers as from February 1, 2015.

Since the introduction of identification badges for taxi drivers in the country a few years ago, many have failed to respect the use of such badges. In Yaounde for instance, majority of the taxi drivers drive around town without identification badges. Some use badges which do not belong to them or are not legible while others do not have badges at all. As a result, crime wave has skyrocketed in the city as it is difficult to know who is a taxi driver and who is not.

In order to bring order to the sector, the Minister of Transport, Robert Nkili, has signed a release announcing the resumption of strict checks and the production of secured identification badges for taxi drivers as from February 1, 2015. According to the release, the Minister calls on national syndicates which do not have authorisations to produce identification badges to submit their applications at the department of road transport. Also, the Minister of Transport has called on taxi drivers to get their badges at authorised syndicates in order to ensure the security of passengers and avoid problems during routine checks by transport officials.

At the level of the transport syndicates work has already begun to meet the deadline by the Ministry of Transport. Taxi drivers have already begun submitting documents for obtaining badges. The documents include a driving licence, capacity certificates, a copy of the national identity card and two passport size photographs. The president of National Syndicate of Taxi Drivers in Cameroon (SYNCHAUTACAM), Ernest Zena, told Cameroon Tribune last Friday December 2, 2015 that after submitting the required documents, the driver is given a receipt which will serve as a temporary badge and will be valid for one month. The original badges he said will be ready after one month.

“Taxi drivers have already started submitting their files and production has already started,” he said. To obtain a computerised badge, taxi drivers are expected to pay FCFA 5,500 as was the case with the badges in carton.  “The difference is that they pay FCFA 5,500 but the driver provides all the material for production,” Zena said. He further said equipment for the production of the computerised badges was ready since 2011.

The new secured badges will have the letters on them according to the syndicate that produced the badges. The letters range for A-Z. Behind the badge will be the signature of the national president. The matriculate number will be on both sides of the badge. The badge is renewable after five years.