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  • 1 year ago
Red Band Maxi-taxi operators are accusing the Works and Transport Ministry of violating their route.

This, after the Ministry has implemented an experimental scheme for Green Band Maxi-taxis on the Priority Bus Route.
Transcript
00:00A few months ago Route 3 maxi-taxis were granted approval by the Ministry of
00:05Works and Transport to use the priority bus route from Chamflé intersection.
00:09Route 3 or green band maxi-taxi drivers as they are commonly called, would the
00:14San Fernando to Port of Spain and Chagonas to Port of Spain routes. Today
00:19the President and the Secretary of the Route 3 maxi-taxi Association Brenton
00:23Knights and Vernal Carter say the Works and Transport Ministry is violating
00:28their routes. This implementation of this experimental scheme which got
00:32extension and the first part of it is that we of the opinion that is totally
00:38totally unacceptable in the way that it was done. It is violates many
00:43fundamental regulations, policies and guidelines that the ministry itself set
00:48out in terms of how you are supposed to be on the bus route as a age vehicle. The
00:53President of the Association says the idea behind experimental scheme was to
00:58allow big maxis, that is the 25 seater, to use the bus route from Montauk to Port
01:04of Spain as the drivers complain that it is a challenge for them to be on the
01:08highway during rush hour. But now he notes things have changed. The difference
01:14is a complete violation of the regulations. What we agreed on is that
01:17all the guidelines that apply to red band supposed to apply to them. Meaning
01:22they are supposed to have a pass on display, they are supposed to get the pass and the guys
01:26and them were willing and agreed to pay for the pass. That has not happened. A
01:30matter of fact, right now in the ministry if you go up on the website you will see
01:35a stipulation that in order for you to get a new pass as an age vehicle your
01:39seating capacity must be 18 seat and above. When you read this regulation
01:44here you will see that is open for Route 3. It means that they open it for all
01:48capacity, 12, 15 and everything. It's a total violation. Secretary of the
01:54Association Vernal Carter says it seems that the Works and Transport Ministry
01:59has altered the rules for green band maxi taxis. He points to a certain
02:03criteria that must be met before a driver can obtain a bus route pass.
02:07Bus route pass, there's another thing with the amount of points that you have on
02:11your DP. There's a cap there, so you must have 10 points or less. There's a
02:17defensive driving that you must do to go. So they went through none of this. So
02:21why are we, who says ply the route, it's our route. We have to go through all
02:25these stringent measures which we don't have a problem with. But our problem is
02:29now you're letting another route come in on it. Just open it all free, or we'll say
02:34willy-nilly. The Association is calling for a meeting with the Minister of Works
02:38and Transport, Rohan Sinanon. Sharla Kistu, TV6 News.
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