Police to crack down on minibus operators amid reports of overcharging

The traffic department of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) in a traffic advisory on Thursday notified minibus operators and commuters that strict enforcement measures will be implemented to address reports of passengers being overcharged, particularly along key routes such as Georgetown to Parika (Route 32) and Georgetown to Timehri (Route 42).
The advisory reminded operators that in accordance with the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act, Chapter 51:02, fares must not be unreasonable, and that copies of the approved fare-table must be carried and displayed in the vehicle for inspection at all times.
It also advised passengers to have an awareness of the official fares for their routes and to report any incidents of overcharging to the nearest police station, the 911 emergency system or via the Traffic Headquarters’ Whats App number: (592) 620-6713.
It assured that the necessary actions will be taken against non-compliant minibus operators.
On a recent episode of the Road Safety and You television programme, Sergeant Carl Pedro of Brickdam Police Station’s traffic department, admitted that minibus exploitation has become a persistent issue, particularly in the afternoons.
The issue of reckless and exploitative practices in the minibus sector has long been a sore point for passengers, many of whom rely on public transportation daily. Police say enforcement will continue and are urging commuters to play their part by reporting violators.
“…[i]f there are persons who are overcharging you in public transportation, take the vehicle number. You have a smartphone, it is the modern time you live in, and let us deal with those defaulting drivers,” Traffic Officer for Region Three (Essequibo Island- West Demerara), Superintendent Maniram Jagnanan had advised in another episode of the programme.
Several callers to the programme expressed frustration over aggressive minibus operators demanding high fares, particularly during rush hours and at key transportation hubs.
One caller shared his first-hand experience: “There are thugs there and drivers there bullying you to pay double fare one afternoon, as much as $500 a person…”, he alleged.
According to the police, while commuters across Guyana have recently been experiencing a surge in minibus fares, with drivers charging passengers more than the standard rates, instead of officially reporting these incidents, many affected commuters have taken to social media to voice their frustrations.
In response to this development, police is urging the public to cease relying solely on social media and instead report these issues directly to the police at the nearest police station or phone numbers provided, since law enforcement officials can do only so much without formal complaints being in their possession.
“If individuals choose to express their concerns on social media rather than reporting directly to the police, it hinders our ability to respond effectively. While we continue to provide traffic education, without formal reports, we have no way of identifying the specific locations, drivers, or buses involved,” Traffic Chief Assistant Commissioner Mahendra Singh advised.
The GPF advisory also noted that mandatory stops will be conducted in keeping with the Traffic Dept Community Relations efforts to ensure passengers are not abused or exploited, and bus operators are compliant with the law.