ROAD MAP

Managing Director of the Transport Authority Ralston Smith says the agency is in the process of establishing a regulatory framework for ride-hailing entities to provide oversight for how industry players attract and retain drivers.

His comments come against the background of concerns raised on Tuesday by transport minister Daryl Vaz, who highlighted safety and security issues concerning the use of ride-sharing services, which he said have been hijacked by criminal elements in some instances.

Earlier this week, the police reported that a convicted sex offender who offered the service is implicated in the murder of Danielle Anglin, a teacher who went missing on May 13. A body believed to be hers was found on Monday.

A technical working group, with representatives from the ministry, the Transport Authority, and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), met on Thursday to review the operators’ concerns and to devise a strategy to ensure the safety of passengers and the continuation of operations for those entities that are willing to comply with the local regime.

The technical working group produced several recommendations on the way forward. They include removing any restriction in relation to local ride-hailing operators that only engage drivers and use vehicles that are compliant with the requirements of the Transport Authority for operating a public-passenger service. The Transport Authority will submit to Vaz its recommendation regarding those ride-hailing entities that are compliant.

It was also recommended that there be increased collaboration between the Transport Authority and the JCF to assist in determining those ride-hailing entities that meet the security standards for the provision of such services.

The technical working group says international ride-hailing operators must comply with existing requirements for the provision of public-passenger services. Among the requirements will be for these operators to establish a local presence in Jamaica and to engage the Transport Authority to facilitate the vetting of potential drivers for fit-and-proper purposes and vehicles for suitability to be included in their fleets.

Posting on X, Vaz said that UBER, one of the ride-hailing companies, has been in dialogue with the Government, and those discussions are continuing with the Transport Authority to work out certain protocols in relation to its platform and how the regulator can access information for security checks. He indicated that the arrangement with UBER is likely to be resolved.

“UBER is fully aware and understands the Government’s concerns and is willing to work with the Government to operate within the recommended regulatory regime of Jamaica,” he said.

“I do believe that in the coming days, weeks, we will be able to resolve most of the issues, and I don’t see this as an open-ended situation. It is in nobody’s interest to have the ride-share apps not accessible for the convenience of the commuters and travelling public in Jamaica,” Vaz added.

On Tuesday, Vaz recommended an immediate ban on ride-sharing services until the Government and players in the transport sector can work out “how these apps will be regulated to ensure safety and background checks of drivers” by the police and the Transport Authority.

Vaz said yesterday that it was never his intention to impose a protracted ban on ride-sharing services but stressed that he took the action for national security reasons.

He said the plan was to work with local operators to get them compliant then move to the next stage and work through regulating international ride-hailing operators.

The solicitor general – the Government’s senior legal adviser – and attorneys from the telecommunications company also met yesterday to deliberate on the administration’s plans to halt the use of ride-sharing apps in the wake of safety and security concerns. The police and officials from the transport ministry were also part of the discussion,

The minister emphasised that the move by the Government to ban ride-sharing apps was a national security issue, which “takes precedence over any other situation”.

Vaz said since he made the announcement on Tuesday, within hours, several ride-hailing companies that had proven difficult to contact for months have surfaced.

The Gleaner spoke yesterday with Kemar Grant, who provides ride-sharing services. He expressed concern that a ban on the use of the apps to provide the service would negatively impact the sole source of his income.

Grant told The Gleaner that he was not averse to the Government’s insistence that players in the sector be fit and proper and undergo security checks by the police and the Transport Authority.

edmond.campbell@gleanerjm.com