As Public Service Vehicle (PSV) operators and owners eagerly await the outcome of deliberations over the controversial five-minute rule, stakeholders have also been put on notice that even greater regulation would be coming to the sector.
Chairman of the Transport Authority Ian Estwick, while addressing call-in programme, Down to Brass Tacks, declared the authority’s first priority was to provide a safe and reliable system for commuters.
While refusing to go into detail, he revealed much needed changes had been made to existing legislation governing the transport sector, which would allow authorities more power to “rein in” the sector.
“You’re dealing with a sector that has been self regulated for the last 30 years. We have to act within the law and we will soon see some decisions made and there are not going to satisfy everybody,” Estwick said.
“I had to look at the legislation and there were some things in there that prevented the Transport Authority from doing what they should be doing, but those issues have been resolved and I now see that we have the way clear to rein in the sector.”
The night before, Transport Authority officials and PSV owners were locked in an extended discussion about what the future should hold for an unsettling rule, which requires operators to leave the Constitution River Terminal after spending just five minutes in the loading bay.
After nearly three hours of deliberations, stakeholders were unable to come to consensus, leaving transport officials to forge a compromise later this week from numerous suggestions made.
Nevertheless, Estwick stressed members of the travelling public would be prioritised.
“The people who own the PSVs and who operate them have a different priority. That is profit and I understand that. There has to be somewhere the two can meet and coexist and that is what we are trying to do.
“Admittedly, we are playing the hand that we were dealt. We were given the [Constitution River] terminal and we have to try to make it work as it is. I cannot understand if you have seven vehicles waiting, how you could expect one vehicle to load for 30 minutes,” he argued
Some of the suggestions offered at Sunday’s meeting included an extra five, ten, 15 and even 20-minutes to the five minutes now allowed. While a decision has not been made, officials from the Alliance Owners of Public Transport (AOPT) and the Association of Public Transport Operators (APTO) reported there were pleased with the level of dialogue facilitated by the meeting.
The deliberations occurred just a week after dozens of conductors and drivers walked off the job in frustration over the five-minute rule.
Since then, operators have been allowed to remain in the loading bays for ten minutes between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. when business is slow.
