Look out for the Travel Pal app

THE EDITOR, Madam:

This serves to address a letter published in The Gleaner on Tuesday, February 4, 2020 titled ‘Jamaica still awaits the ‘Travel Pal App’.

On December 17, 2019, the Ministry of Transport and Mining launched a new mobile app called ‘Drive Safe’.

The app serves as a reporting mechanism that allows members of the public to upload videos and pictures of drivers committing various road traffic-­related breaches. Uploads include date, time and location stamps. The app also allows users to view their own historical video/picture uploads, along with submissions from other users. The video and picture uploads are screened by the monitoring agency, the Transport Authority, before being published on the app.

In his address, Minister of Transport and Mining Robert Montague announced the coming of an additional application to be called the ‘Travel Pal’ app.

This application will allow persons to verify the authenticity of a Public Passenger Vehicle (PPV) by entering the licence plate number. It will also allow persons to share this info with friends and relatives; to verify that the driver is the authorised driver; and will also be equipped with a panic button, which will be linked to the police as well a family member.

Since the announcement, there have been various stakeholder inputs to increase the safety features for the application. These features are currently being integrated, which has therefore led to a delay in the launch date.

The Ministry of Transport and Mining is still firm in its intention to release the Travel Pal app in the near future, which serves as a part of the continued efforts to safely regulate Jamaica’s public transportation sector.

MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT AND MINING