Haulage truck drivers in St James protest hefty traffic tickets
Published:Tuesday | March 18, 2025 | 10:15 AM
A group of haulage truck drivers on Monday protested across from the Freeport Police Station in Montego Bay, St James, accusing the police of being heavy-handed in issuing $50,000 traffic tickets when they transport building materials such as steel and pipes.
For over three decades, veteran trucker Chester Bulgin has been in the business of transporting steel and other goods from a hardware in Montego Bay, but he says the latest crackdown by law enforcement is threatening his livelihood.
“We are charging $10,000 to transport steel,” he explained.
“Now, I got a ticket for $50,000 while working. The police are walking around with measuring tapes, checking how far the steel extends off the truck. It wasn’t that much, but they told me it was over 30 centimetres. That’s less than 12 inches, much less than six inches! And they’re saying we can’t transport steel like that? How can we do our job?” Bulgin lamented to The Gleaner.
Bulgin, like many other truckers, is frustrated with the sudden enforcement of the law.
Since January, the police have been implementing the Road Traffic Act (2018) and the Road Traffic Regulations (2022), which officially took effect on February 1, 2023.
According to the new regulations, any load projecting more than 30 centimetres beyond the rear of a vehicle must have proper warning devices such as red flags, red cloth, or reflective materials.
If the vehicle is travelling at night, white lights must be fitted at the front of the load, and red reflectors or red lamps at the rear.
Failure to meet these requirements results in a $50,000 fine.
With several truckers already ticketed, they have decided to challenge the fines rather than pay them.
When questioned, Sergeant Sean Allen, of the traffic department, acknowledged that the issue is largely a misunderstanding regarding how and when the fines are applied.
“The regulations speak to time,” Allen explained.
“If you're carrying a load that extends a certain distance beyond the truck at night, there must be reflectors, lights, or some other warning signal to indicate to motorists behind you. During the day, you need a red flag or another reflective marker.”
While some truckers claim they were still ticketed despite using red flags, Allen suggested that they may not have been meeting the exact legal specifications outlined in the Road Traffic Act.
“It’s more of a misunderstanding on the part of the police though,” he emphasised.
Senior Superintendent Eron Samuels, who leads the St James Police, reassured the truckers that the police are open to discussions to clarify the regulations and work towards a resolution.
“We recognise that these operators play an important role in the development of St James. If necessary, we are prepared to meet with them to ensure they are fully informed about all safety requirements,” he stated.
He also highlighted the growing concern over road safety in the parish.
“We have had a major reduction in murders, but an increase in road deaths. We want to do everything we can to keep the roads safe. That includes ensuring motorists follow the law when transporting goods,” he added.
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