Transport Authority Met With Ride-Hailing Companies

Press Release From Transport Authority - 2024/06/06

 

KINGSTON, Jamaica – June 6, 2024:  On Wednesday, June 5, 2024, representatives from the Ministry of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport and the Transport Authority met with local ride-hailing operators to address concerns raised, consequent on the Minister’s recommendation, subject to legal checks, to impose a ban on ride hailing services until a regulatory framework is established.

Referring to the urgency to have the meeting convened, Minister Vaz noted that “[i]t was never my intention for this ban to be protracted and prolonged. I took the action for a particular reason (National Security) and I intend to work through the solutions; the first stage of which is to work with local operators to get them compliant, as required, then move to the next stage and work through regulating international ride-hailing operators”.

A technical working group, with representatives from the Ministry, the Transport Authority and the Jamaica Constabulary Force, met on Thursday, June 6, 2024, to review the operators concerns and to devise a strategy to ensure the safety of passengers and the continuation of operations for those entities who are or are willing to comply with the local regime.

These recommendations include:

·       Removing any restriction in relation to local ride-hailing operators that only engage drivers and use vehicles which are compliant with the requirements of the Transport Authority for operating a public passenger service.  In this respect, the Transport Authority will submit to the Minister its recommendation regarding those ride-hailing entities that are compliant;

·  Increased collaboration between the Transport Authority and the Jamaica Constabulary Force to assist in the determination of those ride-hailing entities that meet the security standards for the provision of such services;  and

·       Requiring international ride hailing operators to submit to 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 its fleet; and where necessary, to impose these requirements by the promulgation of legislation to ensure compliance.

At present, Uber remains the only foreign-based provider to have engaged in discussions with the Government of Jamaica to ensure that its operations, in all its facets, complies with local requirements.  “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”, said Minister Vaz.

The Transport Authority is currently in receipt of a proposal from Uber, coming out of a series of meetings held prior to the imposition of the ban, regarding legal and regulatory concerns with its ride-hailing operations. 

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