Taxi Associations Urged to Assist Efforts to Reduce Illegal Operations

Minister of Transport and Works, Michael Henry, has called on the various taxi associations to work with the Transport Authority, to reduce the number of illegal operators.
“(You) have a responsibility to encourage your members to operate legally,” Mr. Henry told representatives of the island’s taxi groupings at a symposium held yesterday (Feb.12) at the University of the West Indies’ (UWI) Mona Visitors’ Lodge in Kingston. He also encouraged new entrants in the sector to legalise their operations.
According to the Minister, the Transport Authority has a responsibility to “rid the system of illegal taxi operators (and) this must be done in collaboration with the police and the taxi associations.” He said that discussions were being held with the Port Security Corps to provide support to the Transport Authority in the process.
Stating that the symposium was timely, Mr. Henry said it was in keeping with the Ministry’s thrust to rationalise the public transportation system by examining the quality standards, operational requirement and the overall regulation of the sector.
He said that several strategies were being looked at, including the integration of various transportation modes, the certification of route taxis and implementing a colour coding system for all public passenger vehicles (PPV).
As it relates to colour coding, the Minister informed that all PPVs, including taxis, would be identified by the colour yellow, with distinctive marks based on the categories of operators and specific routes.
The system will take effect during the new financial year, which begins on April 1, but already, the new Volvo buses that have come into the system, bear the yellow colour.
In addition, the Authority will be issuing certificates of compliance to all taxi operators for a one-year period, “but the first step is to ensure that they are compliant,” the Minister stated.
He commended the Transport Authority for organising the symposium, noting that the event provided the opportunity for stakeholders to look meaningfully at the operations of route taxis in Jamaica and identify recommendations for improving the service delivered to commuters.
Noting that taxi operators play an integral role in satisfying the demand for public transportation, particularly in rural Jamaica, Minister Henry implored them to “recognise the importance of your role as transportation service providers, to operate as leaders in the sector.”