December 5: Bhutan Taxi Services (BTS) has started prepaid taxi services to Paro, Wangdue, Punakha and Phuentsoling. With this, the taxi fare has been reduced by up to 50 percent. The service was launched by the National Council Chairman Namgay Penjore yesterday morning.

The BTS offers lesser rate if you travel by eight seater taxi as compared to the four seater taxi. Commuters will now have to pay only Nu. 100 to go to Paro in a four seater taxi and Nu. 80 in a eight seater taxi. Earlier it costs Nu. 150 to travel to Paro irrespective of whether the taxi was four or eight seater.

While those travelling to Phuentsholing will have to pay Nu. 350 in a four seater taxi and Nu. 250 in eight seater taxi. Likewise, for Wangdue and Punakha it will cost Nu. 150 in a four seater taxi and Nu. 100 in a eight seater taxi.

The service will be available every hour for people travelling to Paro, Punakha and Wangdue. However for Phuentsholing the service will be available every three hours beginning from 7 am.

The prepaid ticket will be available at the lugar theatre and the taxis will be parked at the parking lot infront of the theatre. The commuters can also avail the service from Paro, Wangdue, Punakha and Phuentsholing.

Launching the service, the National Council Chairperson Namgay Penjore said this is a welcome trend and a responsibility taken up by the people in service of the nation. He also said the operators should render good services to the users.

The tshogpa of BTS said the prepaid service is started to provide alternative and affordable services to the common people. However the move was not welcomed by hundreds of existing regular taxi operators who are not a member of the Bhutan Taxi Services. They think they will lose commuters to this new service. Dorji is one of them. He said they are already having difficulties to earn enough with the rising fuel price. He said the new prepaid service is going to further cut their business.

The Paro taxi tshogpa Namgay said they came to know about the new services from the announcements made in the media. He said they are however writing their concern to the Road Safety and Transport Authority.