Some Clarendon taxi operators protest undue pressure by TA representatives

By Lorraine Walker    

 

Some taxi operators in Clarendon withdrew their services on Tuesday morning to register their displeasure with the operations by representatives of the Transport Authority (TA).

 

Frederick Bryan, President of the Vere Taxi Association, says the operators are facing undue pressure from the TA representatives who issue summonses for "minor infractions" for which "they could maybe talk to the drivers in order to make the relationship between the operators and the Transport Authority better or more cohesive". 

 

Mayor of May Pen, Joel Williams, who met briefly with the operators, also weighed in on the concerns raised that the transport operators were receiving summonses for infractions such as wearing a faded shirt or having identification that is too dull. 

 

"As far as I'm concerned, if a man's ID is dull then it's the right of the Transport Authority to say, 'You need to come down and get this ID changed, we can't see it', rather than giving a man a summons," the Mayor argued. 

 

He told Radio Jamaica News that Managing Director of the Transport Authority, Ralston Smith, has agreed to meet with the taxi operators by noon Wednesday. The Transport Authority teams were also withdrawn for Tuesday.