Petra-Keane Williams - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

The Transport Authority has direct responsibility for regulating and monitoring public passenger transportation in Jamaica. The range of responsibilities covers stage carriage, contract carriages, and hackney carriages as well as public and private carriers.

However, the Transport Authority Inspector's power to seize a vehicle is limited to the offences of: operating a private motor vehicle as a public passenger vehicle (PPV) (section 61 (5) of the Road Traffic Act); operating a PPV without a valid road licence (section 61 (5) Road Traffic Act and section 10 of the Transport Authority Regulations); and operating a PPV contrary to the terms and conditions of the road licence (section 65 (13) Road Traffic Act.

Managing Director of the authority, Keith Goodison says a number of guidelines have been established to ensure that wreckers that are contracted to operate on the agency's behalf, does so in accordance with the regulations.

Establishing transparency

Keith Goodison - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

"These guidelines were established to ensure a level of transparency in how we engage our stakeholders, as well as to ensure that the persons who act on our behalf meet the standard that the public should expect and demand," Goodison informs The Sunday Gleaner.

"When I say demand, (it means ) the public has a right to get a certain treatment in how they are dealt with by state agents" states Goodison.

In explaining the policies that govern the wrecker service operators who act on behalf of the Transport Authority, Communication and Customer Service Manager Petra-Keane Williams discloses that each potential contractor must go through a qualification process.

"Each wrecker must be inspected and certified by the Transport Authority's motor vehicle examiner stationed at the regional offices, and by the Heart/NTA certified training facility at the Advance Driver Training Centre at Lakes Pen.

Policies

The policy requires that: "All drivers and sidemen must be registered with the Transport Authority. This will require that drivers complete a formal course of instruction of defensive driving and road safety and provide a practical demonstration of vehicle handling competence and proficiency."

The Transport Authority further states that "the wrecker service operator is not responsible for informing the motorist of where his/her vehicle is being taken; rather it is the responsibility of the person seizing the vehicle to do so."

Persons who are recovering seized motor vehicles from the Transport Authority-operated pounds are required to pay a wrecker fee and a storage fee, which are incurred once the vehicle is seized. The present charges are $2,750 for the first day and $500 each day thereafter (including weekends and public holidays).

Two years ago 12,963 vehicles were towed to the Transport Authority's pound, while 11,405 were seized last year.

Of great concern to the administrators at the authority is the difference in the cost to impound a vehicle by this agency and municipal authorities - a situation that is now making wrecker service operators restive.