Civil Aviation Authority-CAA has disqualified 60 airport taxis from operating at Entebbe International Airport on account of being old.  The affected taxis, manufactured majorly before 2003, were discontinued between September 2019 and January 7th 2020. 

This is inline with an agreement between taxi operators, Uganda Civil Aviation Authority and the International Air Transport Association – IATA to improve the mode of transport at different airports across the country.

The agreement is aimed at reducing carbon emissions at Entebbe international airport.  Some of the main contributors of the carbon emissions at airports include gasoline and diesel fuel for airport vehicles and ground support equipment, fossil fuel for electricity and heating, jet fuel for auxiliary power units that power aircraft at airport gates, among other sources.     

It is upon this background that Civil Aviation Authority directed operators to get rid taxis, especially those produced before 2003. Jackson Sserubidde, the chairperson of Airport Taxi drivers, says the idea to ban old vehicles from the airport has helped them to upgrade their vehicles and eased transport.  

Sserubidde says the association intends to stop 30 other old taxis operating at the airport. The operators of the affected taxis have been offered secured loans from different banks within Entebbe to purchase new vans. About 300 taxis operate at Entebbe international airport.