While passengers continue to experience the pinch of fare violations, the Ministry of Transport (MOT) is calling on the public to report any violations.
The Ministry of Transport was created by an Act of the National Legislature on August 25, 1987, to formulate and administer the transport, insurance, and maritime regulations and policies of Liberia.
As part of this statutory mandate, the Ministry regulates fares on various routes in Liberia based on economic prevalence, especially regarding transport-related issues.
In light of these regulations, passengers continue to face high prices for fares, contrary to the Ministry of Transport’s policy.
Commuters are the primary victims in this situation, leaving many low-income earners economically burdened.
The violators, in this case,, are the taxi, tricycle, and motorcycle drivers and riders who violate the Ministry’s regulations.
However, the Transport Ministry, through its head, states that the ongoing violations are due to a lack of public complaints against the drivers and riders. According to the Transport Minister, Sirleaf Ralph Tyler, drivers and riders do not face stipulated fines for violations because the public is not reporting them.
“We have fines of like $100 for the first offense, $200 for the second offense, as well as other drastic actions when drivers are investigated and caught overcharging passengers,” Minister Tyler told Verity Newspaper.
Besides imposing fines, the MOT head mentioned that it is not the Ministry’s responsibility to prosecute violators, urging traffic police officers to assist in guiding the process. The Minister noted that passengers continue to tolerate overcharging by drivers outside of the regulations, which they should report.
The Ministry of Transport is urging the public to report any violations.
In a related development, the Ministry of Transport has officially launched its decentralization initiative, targeting ten counties across Liberia. This program was unveiled by Transport Minister Sirleaf Ralph Tyler during a press conference held on Friday, marking a significant step towards improving transport services in the nation.
The initiative is set to benefit the counties of Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, Gbarpolu, River Cess, Sinoe, Grand Kru, Grand Gedeh, Maryland, Lofa, and River Gee.
The Ministry’s decentralization efforts will streamline the registration of motor vehicles, tricycles (commonly known as Kekes), motorbikes, and land transport eligibility-related businesses, ensuring that residents in these regions have better access to vital transport services.
