TRANSPORT AUTHORITY ISSUES WARNING TO PUBLIC PASSENGER VEHICLE (PPV) OPERATORS AGAINST OVERCHARGING FARES

Press Release from the Transport Authority

The Transport Authority is warning all PPV operators to abide by the prescribed fares, in light of the 19 percent fare increase announced by the Honorable Daryl Vaz, (M.P.) Minister of Science, Energy, Technology and Transport, recently (October 10, 2023).

Managing Director of the Transport Authority, Mr. Ralston Smith says that the Authority’s Operations teams will be monitoring the implementation of the fare increase closely, starting on Sunday, October 15, 2023.  Smith also says that the Authority is taking a zero tolerance approach to instances of overcharging. Operators found to be “unlawfully deceiving passengers as to the fare for a journey” will be prosecuted under regulation 129 (d) of the Road Traffic Regulations and may be fined up $100,000.00 if convicted for the offence under section 107(3) of the Road Traffic Act.

The prescribed/approved Fare Rate Sheet is available in a number of formats namely:

• publication in the Gleaner on Sunday, October 15, 2023
• posting on the TA’s Website (www.ta.org.jm) and on all Social Media pages using the handle transportauthorityja; 

Flyers will also be distributed throughout the regions at Transportation Centres by Route Inspectors

The Authority is urging commuters who experience acts of overcharging to report these incidents by calling toll-free 1-888-991-5687 or 876 926-8912; or WhatsApp images or videos to 876-551-8196 or 876 279-8515. Complaints about overcharging should include the licence plate numbers, the routes for the vehicles or the location of the incident. Commuters may also download the Drive Safe Jamaica and Travel Pal apps from the Google Play or App stores and submit your images, videos or complaints on these portals.

In the meantime, the commuting public is reminded that one of the dangers of using unlicenced public passenger vehicles and Hackney Carriages being operated as route taxis, is that these operators often charge exorbitant/unapproved fares. The Authority is therefore urging the commuting public to use licenced public transport vehicles which display red public passenger vehicle plates and the light blue Transport Authority sticker on the windshield with expiration dates of 2024 and onwards. 

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