The final deadline to complete the 2026 Confirmation Letter Process for public transport permit holders (see Wednesday edition) came as no surprise. After all, the term to do so had been extended before already.
It originally ended on February 27. Days earlier, only 168 out of 639 operators had completed the process, making a postponement necessary. Of these, respectively 125 and 454 were taxis, while for bus drivers it regarded 36 out of 138. May 8 was then presented as the last date, with enforcement to follow.
According to the most recent figures presented by the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) approximately 40 car rental companies, 120 passenger bus operators and 380 taxi operators have successfully completed the process and received their 2026 Confirmation Letters. Several touring car and unregulated transport operators were also in the final stages of completing their submissions.
Despite this progress, the Inspectorate of Economic and Transport Affairs (IETA) identified a number of permit holders who have not yet participated in the process. These were identified through Road Tax records and information obtained during the 2025 Confirmation Letter Process and did not contact the ministry to confirm whether they remain in operation or have become inactive.
A decision has now been taken to publish a series of releases for each category of public transportation with names of permit holders who have successfully completed the process and whose records have been verified by IETA. This serves not only to recognise those operators who have fulfilled their regulatory obligations, but also as the ministry's final public notification to permit holders whose names do not appear.
Those absent from the list for their respective category will have two weeks from the date of that release to contact IETA to confirm their operational status or complete the outstanding requirements. Where a permit holder has failed to respond or where it is determined that a permit has not been utilised for a continuous period exceeding six months, the matter may be referred to the minister for administrative action in accordance with the National Ordinance on Passenger Transport, including the temporary suspension or permanent revocation of the permit where warranted.
All involved should keep in mind that clients also read the newspaper and may take note
of what operators were missing. This can create a so-called name and shame effect.
Seems like high time to “Get on the Bobolist.”
