Cab drivers who usually crowd the Samoa News parking lot on days when cruise ships call into port expressed anger and frustration yesterday, saying they felt ‘cheated’ by the ‘shuttle bus’ that was used to transport tourists within the downtown area.

When asked for comments yesterday, deputy director of the American Samoa Visitor’s Bureau, Vaito’a Hans Langkilde explained that it was the ASVB that coordinated the use of a shuttle bus — but only for transportation within the downtown area.

Vaito’a said the idea was to accommodate the tourists as well as the vendors that had opened up shop at the Malaeoletalu in Fagatogo.

“Some of the vendors who usually sell handicrafts and souvenirs at the dock had to relocate to the Fagatogo malae yesterday so we figured we would provide something to service both the tourists and those particular vendors,” Vaito’a explained. “It’s something we wanted to try out,” he said, adding that vendors who sell at the dock invest in ‘catering’ to the tourists, as far as setting up tents and putting up displays. “That was part of the consideration for offering a shuttle bus”.

A few cab drivers didn’t mind, saying that the distance between the wharf and the Fagatogo malae isn’t that far anyway, and if the shuttle bus wasn’t available, the tourists would’ve ended up walking.

But other cabbies weren’t so understanding. Most of them said that tourists generally hire them for the whole day, meaning the ride to the Fagatogo malae could have been the first of many stops for them, meaning a big fare for an entire day’s trip.

Samoa News also spoke to two tourists who said they wouldn’t have minded paying $2-$3 for the ride to the Fagatogo malae and the Marketplace. One of them said, “It’s such a beautiful day that I probably would’ve just walked so I can take photos!”

When asked if the shuttle bus was going to be the norm during cruise ship days, Vaito’a said nothing is confirmed yet.