PSV training draws growing interest among operators

A surge in interest from both veteran and younger minibus and route taxi operators is driving the success of a new Barbados Community College (BCC) training course, the principal declared on Tuesday.

Principal Annette Alleyne told Barbados TODAY that the programme, which has been running successfully since its launch earlier this year, has been well received by PSV operators.

The training covers key modules such as customer service, road safety, insurance regulations, CPR, defensive driving and workplace wellness. Alleyne admitted that there was some initial hesitation from participants, but many soon warmed to the programme.

“I think some of them, some of the persons involved in the training at first were a bit apprehensive, but once they start coming to the classes, a number of them are impressed and appreciative of how good the training is. That is the feedback that we’ve been getting,” she said.

“I think in the first cohort we . . . had more of the older ones, but recently I got some feedback from one of the facilitators [that’s] it’s been about even where we have the older and the younger ones as well. I think as the word is spreading, we’re getting more and more of the younger ones joining the training.”

The principal said the aim is to eventually transition to a hybrid model of in-person and online sessions to meet the varying needs of participants.

“There’s some sessions that have to be in person . . . but some of it could possibly be online,” she said. “[However] we found that for the older demographic, a number of them prefer online because it’s more in keeping with the lifestyle and so on. So we would like to have that as well.”

The first-of-its-kind training for operators was announced in 2024 by the assistant director of administration at the Transport Authority, Maria Boyce, who noted at the time that training and new regulations were necessary and long overdue, considering the numerous issues the PSV industry has presented over the years. (SB)