Vaz speaks out against PPV operators overcharging passengers

Minister of Transport Daryl Vaz says there are no approved increases in taxi fares at this time, following reports that some public passenger operators have raised their fares.

“The practise of increasing fares without being prescribed by the Minister is illegal. The [Transport] Authority has received numerous complaints of this practice among hackney carriage operators and route taxi operators,” he said.

According to Vaz, some hackney carriage operators who provide route taxi services have opted to divide the fare among the number of passengers carried, resulting in a fare increase for commuters.

“To correct this, the Transport Authority, based on a non-objection letter from the JUTC [Jamaica Urban Transit Company], will make available 23 new routes in the KMTR [Kingston Metropolitan Transport Region] for the hackney carriage operators to transition. This will allow for the attachment of an approved fare structure, which will be strictly enforced by the police and the Transport Authority,” he explained.

He noted that overcharging by route taxi operators mainly occurs when passengers request drivers to take alternative routes—a situation he said is currently unregulated.

“This matter will be discussed at the public transport meeting today, and we will introduce regulations to correct this situation,” he said.

In October 2023, the Government announced a 35 per cent fare hike to be introduced in two tranches: 19 per cent at the time of the announcement, and 16 per cent in April 2024.

However, only the first phase was implemented, as concerns grew over the potential impact of higher fares amid already elevated inflation. Following discussions between government officials and transport association leaders, it was agreed that the second phase would be deferred and revisited in the next fiscal year.

- Sashana Small

Follow The Gleaner on X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.