[Photo: SUPPLIED]
Members of the Fiji Zone Taxi Association will now have access to affordable dashcams aimed at improving safety and security on the nation’s roads.
The initiative was highlighted during a meeting in Suva yesterday, where the association announced a new Memorandum of Understanding with Bondwell Fiji to provide taxi operators with access to high-quality dashcam technology.
Acting Secretary Mohammed Shameem said taxi drivers face risks every day and are often involved in incidents where authorities have little or no evidence to support investigations.
“It’s an ongoing thing; it is happening every day, and we cannot say that it will be stopped immediately, but safety measures and precautions have to be taken first on board.
We have signed an MoU with Bondwell Fiji; they have major outlets in every town and they have provided us with high-end packs of CCTV or indoor dashcams with warranty and installation as well.”
The partnership is expected to improve road safety, enhance passenger security and provide drivers with greater protection during accidents, robberies and disputes.
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Shameem said the technology includes a range of security features designed to support operators and improve information sharing among association members.
“The main aspects of that camera are that they are built in and they have other features that I would not like to reveal because that is very important for us to keep it safer for the operators to know how it is operated and we can only share amongst the members and it will bring it safety and members will have a lot of information sharing by that camera that it will connect from each other, and people will have more information of your whereabouts”
Meanwhile, Donald Hough, Director Enterprise Solutions at Bondwell, said demand for surveillance and monitoring systems continues to grow.
“Just for the next at least 12months, we’re looking at probably another 30percent growth because we’ve seen it excel already over the last two years. We’re getting these huge projects that we’re actually doing a backlog in catching up on all these big projects because so many customers are looking for these systems not just for their homes but also for their business.”
The dashcams are also expected to assist police and insurance companies by providing reliable footage during investigations and claims processes.
The association believes the initiative will strengthen accountability on the roads while giving taxi operators greater peace of mind as they continue serving the public.