Movement of tourists or visitors to the Gambia from one place to another might have not been an easy task for them without the efforts of Green cars and its drivers commonly known as tourist cars and tourist drivers, despite the fact that some of the tour operators are having luxurious buses and some other vehicles to convey their customers.

There are little over 200 miles, 3000km, of roads countrywide and looking for chauffeurs that are familiar with this roads especially roads outside Banjul and Greater Banjul areas it is no other drivers than the tourist drivers that could be recommended. They know nooks and crannies of the country especially tourist development area (TDA), villages, ecotourism areas and beyond.

Tourist cabs known as Green taxis are painted green with a diamond sign and a serial number on the side. They are licensed to operate in TDA by the Gambia Tourism Board (GTB) and dedicated to serving tourists and other visitors to the country. They are normally parked at the airport, outside the hotels in the resort areas and operate on a queue rules.

According to Omar Bojang, secretary-general of tourists taxi association (TTA), tourist taxis is a wide unit and 98 percent of the cars are owned by Gambians. And in each park they have their own administrative structure meaning each park has its own president, vice president, and secretary-general among other officials. So also they have their own rules and code of conduct with similar aims of safe driving, honesty, discipline and so on.

The Green taxi drivers from this different units of operation in TDA have come together to form a union called Tourists Taxi Association (TTA) having their focal point in Senegambia. In each park at the resort areas there is a displayed notice board and well-maintained tariffs for all routes they plight within and beyond the Gambia. More over, in spite of their been licensed to operate by the GTB, the association is also a member of Association for Small Scale Enterprises in Tourism (ASSET).

It is obvious that there were slowdown in the last tourist season but perhaps this year will be different. Although some stakeholders in the industry would not like jumping into conclusion about the season which is still having up to four months to widen up.

However, the TTA according to their vice president, Babukarr Dem, who appreciated the efforts of the Ministry of Tourist and Culture (MoTC) especially Honorable Minister Fatou Mass Jobe-Njie, hope this year season will be better than last year though his association member are still looking forward to have the season to be a blessed and prosperous one.

Really tourists taxi association members are hoping for brighter days ahead this season but they are not happy, as the yellow taxicabs are still parking at almost some of the resort areas. This is spoiling business for them hence Green taxis are specially registered for carrying tourists to any of the TDA.

Yellow cabs are only around to devalue their business and sometimes ‘they can abscond with some other tourists property’ as tourists sometimes complain of Yellow cabs. Green taxi are well recognized in tourism sector as they paid their annual registration fees and been issued licenses by GTB after their registration to operate within the TDA.

Hence they are registered you and your properties are always safe with them. This is due to the fact that they have their names to protect. So should they found any belonging left behind in their cars by any of their customers, surely the owner could quickly go back to their office where the car was boarded to retrieve them.

According to TTA vp, despite the preseason meeting with the stakeholders at Dunne Resort last October 2011, yellow taxi drivers still parks near some of the hotels “talk and direct the attention of tourists, they always raise up and waive their hands to them saying come I’ll take you in cheaper price.’

On the issue of ‘bumsters’ and commending officials effort as regard to this, Tourists Security Unity (TSU) is really up to the task this season as Babukarr Dem has said, “TSU are working very well, their efforts worth commending although we have ‘bumsters’ around all the times - day and night times. You cannot stop them once because they always come from town and when they finish they go back.”

Ibrahima Jaiteh said it worth noticing that from the starting of the current season TTA has been witnessing the arrival of tourists “we are happy with this and as well as commending the new administration of the tourism body efforts for a job well done.”

TTA fitness for this season and beyond can not be doubted has mentioned by the secretary-general of the association that all their vehicles are been inspected and tested twice in a year by GTB to satisfy there road worthy and fitness to plight the routes right from region one to six. Test-driving and inspection of tourist cabs is to guaranty the safety of the passengers and serve tourists to the best of ability.

Ibrahima Jaiteh noted that there is always no problem when it comes to driving tourists around the town, villages even on going up to Dakar. Although breakdown can happen which is normal but the drivers are always fully prepared for unexpected situation before they embark on any transaction or journey.

Still should there be any case of breakdown, driver only need to consult the controller office, as new vehicle on queue will be sent to support. This will enable them to continue their trip. And this is always done in order to fully satisfy tourists during their stay and moving around.

However, TTA are still facing with some challenges aside their striving hard to satisfy their customers. TTA is a well coordinated and discipline association operating in tourism industry according to rules and regulations to withstand their challenges; they will need help as concerning vehicles.

There are members of this association that needs a personal cab as this can give them self-employment. Soft loans will be helpful to hence most of the cars they are using to plight the routes are second. It will at the same time help them when there is need for them to do general maintenance their cars this is very necessary.

Yellow cabs are threat to Green taxi park throughout the resorts, moving them away will be a help for Green taxi operators has they have only the season to work compare to Yellow cabs that roams round the country 365 days in a year.

So also it will be their happiness if GTB can provide some parking spaces to some of the association units that are lacking car park in the TDA. Green taxis car park should not be far away from the resorts as tourists might not like to walk long distances before finding a car to take them to wherever they desire. More over, private car owners working with the hotels and tour operators should be discouraged from doing the work of Green taxi drivers.