The head of one of the mini-bus and ZR associations is calling on government to make a cashless system mandatory for all public transport and to convene a national consultation on crime.

Chairman of the Association of Public Transport Operators, Kenneth Best, who is an attorney at law and a former policeman, believes the recent attempted armed robbery on a route taxi shows the urgent  need to reduce the risks to public service vehicle operators and to engage all stakeholders in seeking solutions to crime.

Mr. Best admits that not all PSV owners support the idea of a cashless system and that’s why he believes its necessary for the authorities to make it mandatory as part of the regulations for the sector.

He also believes the PSV sector should be part of a national consultation on crime.

Chairman of the Association of Public Transport Operators, Kenneth Best.

Meantime, Roy Raphael, Chairman of the Alliance Owners of Public Transport, supports in principle making the cashless system mandatory but also sees some downsides such as putting out of work, those people who are employed as conductors and other factors that could reduce the pool of people available to work in the sector.

Roy Raphael, Chairman of the Alliance Owners of Public Transport

Director of the Transport Authority Ruth Holder tells Starcom Network News there is a plan in the works to make public transport cashless.

She says a pilot project has commenced at the state-operated Transport Board.

But she argues that there is nothing stopping the private owners going cashless now if they want to.

Director of the Transport Authority, Ruth Holder.