Taxi driver: Lockdown costly

A TAXI driver in Port Moresby says most taxi operators are not making much due to the Covid-19 state of emergency in the country.
Benjamin Wan told The National yesterday that even though there were no PMV buses operating, he now makes less than the K250 daily average before the lockdown.
The father of four from Western Highlands, however said it was business as usual, and acknowledged the Government’s stance on addressing the coronavirus.
Wan lives with his family at 9-Mile and has been driving a taxi for five years.
One may think taxis in Port Moresby would be picking up the slack because buses have stopped operating but according to the 32-year-old, who drives under the Air Transport Services taxi franchise, that was not the case when the streets were practically empty due to the SOE.
There are no night clubs in operation, no sporting events, no schools, no airlines in operation and for Wan that means fewer people needing to take taxis.
He said most taxis were now parked outside banks and other shops waiting for customers.
With his facemask on, Wan said he had learnt a lot about the coronavirus and urged Papua New Guineans to not be ignorant of the virus.
“This 14-day lockdown is to stop the coronavirus, because we do not know, maybe the virus will come in, the SOE is good because it is to save us all,” Wan said.
He said in his years as a taxi driver, he had never come across such a situation, where everything just came to a stop.