Authority warns taxis to follow rules

The National Main Stories

A LOT of taxi firms and taxis are emerging in Port Moresby.
Most of the vehicles are labelled with their firm’s stickers and their contact details, yet they use private number plates or white number plates and go around picking up passengers.
Road Traffic Authority (RTA) chief executive officer Nelson Terema told The National that taxis with white number plates were preparing to operate as taxis.
He said before conducting business, they had to meet all the taxi licensing requirements from the RTA.
Terema said they were driving around the city, painting and promoting their company colours.
He said they should have a taxi meter calibrations approved by the Independent Consumer and Competition Commission and their taxi licences from RTA.
“If those taxis don’t comply with the requirements by the RTA and display taxi caps, pick up passengers and make money, then it is illegal,” he said.
Terema said traffic police and RTA officers will conduct random checks in the city to see if vehicles, especially PMVs and taxis, complied with regulations and laws.
“They will check to make sure all PMVs and taxis are, roadworthy, properly licensed (current), followed designated routes and drivers had correct licence and taxis have meters operating.”

6 comments

  • Traffic Police and RTA Officers at road blocks check only safety sticker, registration, and drivers license. They should do more than that by checking condition of tyres, headlights, break lights, signal lights, wipers, horn and etc. Some safety stickers are issued without physical inspection of the vehicle at the issuing workshop. PMV’s in NCD are not following traffic rules. It seems PNG traffic rules allow for vehicles to run on public roads with defective lights, worn out tyres, faulty indicators, faulty horn, and etc. I have been driving for more than 20 years. At road blocks everything I mentioned above were checked if they were working before I was let through the road blocks. Are the traffic laws changed now?

  • I fully support you brother Andrew Maino, the safety & comfort of passengers is priority and paramount, it is true some of these buses & taxis have all these defects right in the eyes of Road Traffic Officers passing thru road blocks bribed with K20 & K50, Be Honest & Responsible because “Road Safety is Not A Game”,

  • This activities has been going on gor many years now and small legitimate taxi opertors have struggled to compete with theee illegal taxis putting the public at risks and stealing business so wake up RTA and stary doing your job.

  • Govenment/MVIL/Traffic need to put in place checks and balances on all public motor vehicles whether it be PMV, Taxi or Safe Meri buses and including company, govrnment the general public to observe and OBEY traffic rules.
    Create proper parking areas for the all. Allow ample spacing for this services.
    Current situations are a total chaos, even a grade 3 student can tell you that.
    Authories you know that yourselves so DO THE RIGHT THING, no excurses. enough is enough!

  • leave the bus stops alone for buses, taxi’s are parking at bus stops forcing buses to stop right in the middle of the road causing unnecessary traffic congestion.

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