Police will arrest minibus operators enforcing illegal fare hikes – Traffic Chief

Traffic Chief Assistant Commissioner Mahendra Singh on Monday underscored that the police will continue to arrest and put before the courts any minibus driver found implementing arbitrary and unlawful fare increases, in light of a Monday morning strike by the Route 42 Georgetown to Timehri bus operators demanding an increase.

Meanwhile, President of the United Minibus Union (UMU), Eon Andrews, denounced the arbitrary fare increases as “ridiculous”, but noted that the union is opened to meeting with the minibus operators and advocating on their behalf. However, he decried that situation where the minibus drivers only turn to the union in their hour of need.

Speaking with this publication on Monday afternoon, Traffic Chief Singh noted that the minibus operators have only become preoccupied with striking given the police recent crackdown against drivers that have implemented unlawful increases.

“If they strike, that is a matter for them… Striking doesn’t affect me. We will continue to do what we are doing, which is enforcement and education. Once it becomes an issue of public order, the police will respond, and if any person breaks the law, they will be arrested, placed in the lock ups and placed before the court,” Singh noted.

“Prior to us raising awareness among the members of the public with reference to the fare to be paid, no one was concerned about a strike. The moment we did, it became a case. The public should know what they ought to pay as a fare on the 42 route or any other route.”

Singh highlighted that any bus route desirous of implementing a fare increase must go through the lawful channel of negotiating their official increase with the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce (MoTIC). And until such time, the police will prosecute anyone found forcing fare increases on commuters.

Over the past few months, public transportation operators along several routes have implemented arbitrary fares, victimising passengers who refuse to pay the increase.

This has particularly been the case in the 42 and 32 (Georgetown to Parika) bus routes. The minibus operators are particularly targeting commuters during rush hours in the morning and afternoons.

The situation has seen some 42 bus operators demanding as much as $1000 from commuters, in a route where the legal fare is capped at $260. “Short drops” which are set at $100 have been increased to $200 in the 42 route. On the West Demerara corridor, operators plying the Wales to Vreed-en-Hoop route have increased the fare to $300 from the legally stipulated $200 fare. Some charge commuters as much as $500.

Following reports of this practice last Thursday the Guyana Police Force (GPF) issued a statement reminding commuters of the current fare structures for the various routes, and called on passengers to report any minibus operator implementing increases.

“Strict enforcement measures are being implemented to address reports of overcharging of passengers, particularly along key routes, notably Georgetown to Parika (Route 32) and Georgetown to Timehri (Route 42)… necessary actions will be taken against noncompliant minibus operators. In addition, mandatory stops will be conducted in keeping with the traffic department community relations to ensure passengers are not abused or exploited, and Bus operators are compliant with the law,” the police said in the statement.

The statement included spreadsheets identifying the legal fares for the various bus routes and destinations. The police also called on commuters to report errant drivers

“At all times passengers are urged to know the official fees for their route and to report any incident of overcharging to the nearest police station the 911 emergency system or via WhatsApp hotline at Traffic headquarters592-620-6713,” the police said.