United Minibus Union backs mandatory driver training and certification

– says indiscipline rife in society

President of the United Minibus Union (UMU) Eon Andrews is calling for the revival of mandatory driver training and certification for public transport operators, warning that the absence of a structured system is contributing to indiscipline and unsafe practices on the nation’s roads.
Andrews made the call during a recent episode of the “Road Safety and You” programme, where traffic ranks from several divisions discussed ongoing challenges affecting road safety and public transportation.
Recalling a previously existing framework, Andrews said there was once a system that required drivers to be trained before being allowed to operate minibuses.
“…start training drivers. I remember – I have a booklet, right, and when they would have been trained, they would put a sticker on their vehicle that said, ‘I am a trained driver,’ so the Police would know this is somebody who has been trained.”
According to Andrews, the intention was to link driver training directly to the licensing process.

“We were trying to get the GRA, so that when you go to renew your licence or to get a new licence, unless you turn up with the same driving certificate, you can’t get it.”
He warned that the breakdown of that system has allowed inexperienced individuals to begin operating public transport vehicles.
“Because a fellow walking through the park there, just moving a fellow bus from here to there, I know he’s not a driver. But then, a couple of months later, he’s driving a bus. Without any experience.”
Traffic ranks participating in the programme echoed those concerns, noting that inexperienced and untrained drivers are often involved in traffic violations.
Sergeant Anjan Bhangradian, who oversees traffic operations in the Kitty, Georgetown area, said many road users fail to properly apply the rules outlined in the Highway Code.
“For many of the people who would go through the theoretical exam, and they read the highway code, and they cram just to pass. That highway code has over 115 rules. You do not only apply just to do the exam, but there should be a continuity of learning those rules, and let them stick in your head.”
Bhangradian stressed that road safety is a shared responsibility and not solely the duty of the Police.

“Road safety is everyone’s business. It is not just the Police business… It is a duty; it is your duty as a driver, as a person, to know what you’re required to do and to ensure that you do it.”
Meanwhile, Andrews said the minibus union’s support for training is rooted in the need for collaboration among all stakeholders.
“This perception about having a minibus union, this perception that you’re looking after minibuses – yes, you are. But then again, our relationship has to do with a lot of other stakeholders.”
He added that addressing road safety challenges requires cooperation rather than confrontation.
“So, it’s really a family thing. It’s a work in progress. It’s not going to be easy because basically we have – indiscipline is rife in the society, and this is one of the things we have to work on.”
The traffic officials further noted that while enforcement and education campaigns continue, the reintroduction of a formal training and certification framework could help professionalise the public transport sector and improve safety outcomes on the road.