The government is set to introduce new regulations to address long-standing issues of misconduct in the privately owned public service vehicle (PSV) sector.
Minister of Transport Santia Bradshaw has agreed in principle to meet with industry representatives next month to discuss a comprehensive plan to improve behaviour across the public transport industry, according to Director of Public Communications and Public Affairs at the Alliance Owners of Public Transport (AOPT) Mark Haynes.
The move comes as part of broader efforts to reform and professionalise the public transport system, with industry figures acknowledging the presence of “very good workers” alongside those whose conduct has raised concerns.
On Thursday, a day after a meeting between the AOPT, ministry officials, and other transport stakeholders, Haynes told Barbados TODAY: “The ministry is on the verge of coming to roll out the transport authority regulations which will govern the behaviour of the entire sector. [Minister Bradshaw] has agreed in principle that the representative bodies will [meet with her] sometime next month and go through the whole plan, so we will be apprised of what is expected of us – the drivers, owners, etc.”
While emphasising that there would be no “overnight answers” to problems that have persisted for “over three decades”, Haynes stressed the importance of addressing the conduct of “a few” workers who are “bringing the sector into public disrepute”.
“We cannot have those persons there to be disruptive to the fraternity, and I and my organisation cannot accept what is happening on the road,” he said. “The bad behaviour, profanity, [poor] deportment, is something upon which I frown. I would like to see the back of it like tomorrow.”
Haynes indicated that the ministry does not intend to take a punitive approach, but rather engage with industry bodies to implement changes.
“The ministry does not intend to come down with a heavy hammer, but it is prepared to let us as the representative bodies meet and have the engagement in respect of the changes coming to the transport regulations to help better govern the sector,” he explained.
The AOPT official also highlighted the need for vehicle owners to “take more charge of their investment, and help to control the behaviour as well”.
“It is a whole thing of cleaning up the industry,” he said.
Among the proposed initiatives is the creation of a training academy for the PSV sector.
Haynes explained: “I am looking at an academy for the PSV fraternity so that we can train these guys properly, have the requisite people come and train them so that they can understand that it is business, and not a free-for-all, or an environment where they can go out there and misbehave themselves.”
Though saying that he could not disclose specific details of the upcoming regulations, Haynes confirmed that both the transport minister and industry representatives recognise a critical need to bring a sense of order to the privately owned transit players.
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