PSVs grumble over taxis in transport mix

Not all public service vehicle (PSV) operators are expecting a joy ride come Monday.

Even though the green light has been given for PSVs to carry a full complement of passengers, chairman of the Association of Public Transport Operators (APTO) Kenneth Best is foreseeing some issues as BT and ZM licensed vehicles are also being allowed to transport commuters.

In an interview with Barbados TODAY, Best said BT and ZM vehicles had initially been brought on to assist in moving commuters as PSVs and Transport buses were only allowed to carry 60 per cent capacity as part of the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, with Prime Minister Mia Mottley giving the all clear for PSVs to carry full loads from Monday, Best said there was no need for additional help.

He contended that their presence would create more competition for PSVs.

“They were supposed to be brought on to fill the void of the 40 per cent but they are still out there. You haven’t revoked their licences because they were out there from two weeks ago and you can’t give anybody a contract for two weeks so the ZMs and BTs are still out there,” he said.

“It means that there is going to be greater competition. The country is still under emergency protocols and schools have not re-opened. We have an adequate number of PSVs to service the whole of the island. It seems to everybody to be a very good idea but the competitiveness remains,” Best argued.

“So you now have a small group of passengers and increased buses with both ZRs, BT, minibuses and ZMs competing for a small number of passengers.”

The chairman maintained that he was willing to work with Government to improve the industry.

But he said for this to occur there needed to be a level playing field.

“What I want for this industry is justice and I believe to have BTs and ZMs competing with the ZRs is not justice. Those who come with equity must come with clean hands and I don’t believe it is fair to have all the BTs competing with the ZMs, and with the ZRs and minibuses,” Best said.

He said it would lead to further losses in revenue for PSV owners and operators, who were among some of the hardest hit when the COVID-19 pandemic led to an islandwide shutdown.

Meanwhile, Communications and Marketing Officer of the Alliance Owners of Public Transport (AOPT), Mark Haynes said he was grateful for the new measures.

He said PSV operators had suffered significant losses and would be happy they could now carry more passengers.

“It is good news for the sector. The sector as I speak is suffering and this whole COVID-19 situation has had a very debilitating effect on the sector and the revenues were down given that the vans were at 60 per cent travelling occupancy.

“So this provides an opportunity for the vehicles to get back their rightful share of the market. Hopefully more persons will be commuting as more persons go back out to work,” Haynes said. randybennett@barbadostoday.bb