Montague proposes mandatory GPS for buses, taxis

Transport and Mining Minister Robert Montague says that the Government is taking steps to provide greater protection for persons who use public passenger vehicles by proposing the mandatory installation of GPS in these vehicles.

"We must put a GPS locator on every vehicle that works with public passengers," he said, noting that "having a GPS will be like a third witness to talk the truth and nothing but the truth".

Montague was speaking yesterday at a ceremony for the handover of three buses to Transport Authority staff at the regulatory body's offices on Maxfield Avenue in Kingston.

He also indicated that the Government would be ensuring that commuters get the best-quality public passenger drivers by demanding that persons in the industry be subjected to a police background check. Montague added that if drivers of public passenger vehicles had a certain criminal past, they should not be able to enter the industry.

To ensure that high standards are met, drivers should also be required to attend annual driver education and customer service workshops, he said.

"Every lawyer, every doctor, every engineer must attend certain workshops, and we are saying that our taxi drivers must be updated annually before they are relicensed," Montague stated.

He insisted that drivers should exercise care for passengers and that rules must be enforced to maintain transportation standards.

"I plan to continue being a minister to serve the people of Jamaica, but in order to do this, I have to serve the best assets in the country, which is the Transport Authority," he added.

Montague also noted in his address that while the Transport Authority could not suspend licences, if transport operators were caught with a suspended badge, the owner and the driver would be penalised because, according to him, the owner must be responsible and be aware of whom they are allowing to operate their vehicle, especially when the public is involved.

- Sasha-Kaye Kemble