survey -- despite a call by the Bermuda Taxi Federation for drivers to ignore the questionnaire -- and has extended the deadline to return the survey to November 4.

Head of the taxi commission, Sir John Sharpe, yesterday told The Royal Gazette that just over 500 questionnaires were mailed out early last week and some had just started to trickle in by Friday.

And he urged taxi owner/operators to look at the survey and draw their own conclusions: "As we've said earlier the returns might well reinforce recommendations of the Taxi Advisory Committee and the Federation, but we felt everyone should have the opportunity to express their views.'' Sir John could not say what effect the Taxi Federation's call to ignore the questionnaire would have, and he rejected BTF spokesman Joe Brown's assertion that Government was trying to divide taxi owners, especially on the issue of fare increases.

Mr. Brown last week said the federation considered the survey "another show of disrespect and contempt for the taxi owners'', and charged Government hoped it would get "dozens of different answers... enough to hopefully say that there is no consensus in respect to taxi fare increases.'' "Our intention is not to divide the owners,'' responded Sir John. "It's to broaden our overview of the industry and hopefully develop a consensus.'' The survey asks a wide range of questions, from sizes of taxis to health and safety concerns, to issues such as multiple rides, communications and dispatch, zones, and operating costs, said Sir John.

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