Transit Modes: Maxi Taxis

Image showing Red band maxi taxis

   Since I started commuting (in Trinidad and Tobago we say traveling) to school, maxi taxis, specifically red band maxis is the mode that I use. Just like bus rides, I also enjoy maxi rides, except for when I have to sit in the aisle seat, sandwiched between two other persons.
  These vehicles, like the bus, traverse the Priority Bus Route. They are one of the forms of paratransit transportation, transport provided by operators, and available to parties which hire them (Vuchin 1981), in Trinidad.  Just as there are buses for different areas in the country, there are different coloured maxis for the different regions or routes.




  The following is the breakdown of the different maxis and their routes:

Maxi Taxis	Route
Red Band/ Route 2 Maxi Taxis	Port-of-Spain to Sangre Grande
Yellow Band/ Route 1 Maxi Taxis	Port-of-Spain to Chaguaramas
Green Band Maxi Taxis	Port-of-Spain, Curepe to San Fernando
Black Band Maxi Taxis	San Fernando to Mayaro
Brown Band Maxi Taxis	San Fernando to Point Fortin, Siparia and Cedros

 The first two maxi taxis carry out transport in the urban area of Port-of-Spain, which by now would be the obvious urban area that the blog mainly focuses on. Therefore persons living in southern areas of the country, such as San Fernando and Point Fortin, and who work in Port of Spain, must take 2 to 3 of these maxi taxis to get to their work destinations. However efficient transport networks link the the different areas to Port-of-Spain making generally timely commute possible. Rodrigue et al (2013) state that 3 to 4 trips per day is undertaken, and that each trip generated signifies a purpose satisfied. However I beg to differ as I believe that in Trinidad, on a weekday, specifically someone working, several trips are made, but to satisfy one purpose, to get to work. It is in the opinion that the different maxi taxis and their respective routes, minimizes the amount of vehicles which would have to enter urban areas such as Port or Spain, but still ensuring that sufficient commuters are transported.

Yellow band maxi in the hub.

  Rodrigue et al (2013) indicate in their book a taxonomy for mobility, where it is stated that urban movement is either obligatory (pendulum and professional movement fall under this category) or voluntary, which is characteristic of personal movement or leisure. Maxi Taxis facilitate these urban movements and are available for and in all urban areas in Trinidad.

Reference

• Rodrigue, J., C. Comtois, B. Slack.2013.The geography of transport systems.3rd ed. London and New York: Routledge. http://people.hofstra.edu/geotrans/eng/ch6en/conc6en/ch6c1en.html. (accessed February 10, 2014).
• Tourism Development Company. 2014. Travel information: getting around. http://www.gotrinidadandtobago.com/travel-information/getting-around/ (accessed April 11, 2014).
• Vuchic, V. R.1981. Urban public transport: systems and technology. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. http://www.reconnectingamerica.org/assets/Uploads/20020114urbanpubtrsysVuchic.pdf (accessed April 10, 2014)