Transport Minister proposes new certification for PPV drivers

By Prince Moore    

 

Transport Minister Daryl Vaz says the pool of drivers in the public transport sector will be required to be retrained and recertified.

 

Mr. Vaz has proposed that drivers participate in an online and in-person course before receiving a licence to operate a public passenger vehicle.

 

"No one should be able to go to the Island Traffic Authority and get a PPV driver's licence or general driver's licence to carry public passengers without a certification from the Transport Authority. That is well advanced and it's just a matter of implementation, which means that persons will be able to do an online course with an in-person part to it, which will give them the final certification," he advised.

 

The minister said this is geared towards ensuring that drivers coming into the public transportation system are qualified. 

 

"I believe if we do that, we will be able to at least streamline the current set of drivers that we have in the public transportation sector and, of course, make sure that those who are coming into the public transport sector are certified before," Mr. Vaz reasoned.   

 

He was speaking Thursday following a meeting of the National Road Safety Council.

 

The meeting follows Tuesday's crash which claimed the lives of two Titchfield High School students in Portland.