AOPT in favour of technology being used to monitor PSVs

Chairman of the Alliance Owners of Public Transport (AOPT), Roy Raphael has welcomed government’s proposed move to mandate dashcams and GPS tracking systems on all public service vehicles (PSVs), describing it as a step in the right direction to improve accountability and safety on Barbados’ roads.

 

His comments have come following a recent announcement by Attorney General Wilfred Abrahams that stronger regulatory measures were necessary to address ongoing issues within the PSV sector.

 

Speaking to Barbados TODAY, Raphael said the AOPT fully supports the initiative, noting that such technology could help curb some of the troubling behaviours currently being experienced across the industry.

 

“Well, it’s something that we welcome. The idea of having dash cameras on board the PSVs as well as GPS systems are something that we welcome and we believe it will help curb some of the issues that we have on the road,” he said.

 

He added that the sector has been grappling with a worrying number of accidents, which has heightened concern among operators and owners.

 

However, while backing the proposed measures, the AOPT head is also calling on authorities to intensify efforts to tackle other pressing issues affecting road safety – particularly uninsured motorists and a rise in road rage incidents.

 

“Let me say to you up front, I am very concerned about the amount of accidents that they have as it relates to public service vehicles in our sector.

 

“Let me say this…there are a lot of drivers out there who are very angry. We would have heard about road rage as far as drivers are concerned,” Raphael said.

 

He recounted a recent complaint from a PSV owner whose vehicle was written off after being struck by an uninsured driver.

 

“Only yesterday, a PSV owner complained to me that somebody hit his vehicle and the person didn’t have any insurance. The vehicle was written off and the insurance company told [him] you have to pay X amount in order for them to settle the claim. 

 

“If the person doesn’t have the insurance, it shouldn’t be on the road. I believe that is something that needs to be flagged,” he said.

 

Raphael further argued that the introduction of dashcams could also provide protection for operators against questionable claims, while improving transparency in interactions with passengers.

 

He said the technology would also help address complaints about conductors and general service delivery within the sector.

“It would also minimise a lot of risks as lately we found that there have been a number of claims against the public service vehicle operator or driver… Sometimes these people are not even driving the vehicle,” he explained.

 

“I think that within itself it is very good for the owner and also the operator because we get complaints from the public who say that they have issues with the conductor, how they behave towards them. So the dash cam will allow the police as well as the Transport Authority to see exactly what is happening.” 

 

(SB)