Taxis, PMVs to renew licences

The National Transport PNG

The Road Traffic Authority has issued a month-long (31 days) ultimatum to taxi and omnibus operators to renew their licenses to avoid cancellation.
Road Traffic Authority, Chief Executive Officer, Nelson Terema, said taxi and omnibus operators who had contravened Section 29(2) and (3) of the Motor Traffic Regulation 7967, whose names have been published in an advertisement in this paper dated Feb 28 must renew their licenses and show cause why their licenses should not be cancelled.
He said the ultimatum commenced from the date it was first published and it was sufficient evidence that the Authority has informed all in ample time prior to taking into effect its decisions thereon.
Terema said the authority planned to review the entire public transport service and routing network in the NCO once the proposed PMV survey and study was completed.
One of its initial steps was to tidy up PMV bus and taxi licensing and establishing service standards for potential PMV and taxi operators wishing to enter the industry.
He said as a general rule, renewal would be subject to operators providing the following documents:

  • Original PMV license(s);
  • Original vehicle registration certificate(s) in respect of the listed licensed registration number(s);
  • A Photostat of your driving license or work ID;
  • A Mechanical Report from an Authorized Inspection Station (AIS) is to be attached for those vehicles that have been off the road due to mechanical issues or road accidents;
  • Any other document(s) in relation to and in respect of the listed license registration number(s);
  • Where an original document(s) has been misplaced or lost, a sworn Declaration attesting to that effect shall accompany the copies.

He said the Road Traffic Authority was established under the new Road Traffic Act (2014) as a new government agency empowered to administer all land public transport matters, and all other functions relating to land transport matters in Papua New Guinea.
“The Authority is empowered under Section 65 of the Road Traffic
Act to administer (in the interim) the existing Motor Traffic Act and Regulation Chapter 243 and carry out the functions and exercise the powers of the Superintendent of Motor Traffic, the Land Transport
Board, and a Licensing Authority, under existing legislation, until the new set of road traffic legislations are brought into effect.
“The Authority further advises those operators whose licenses approved by the National Land
Transport Board in 2016 and already issued with new PMV bus or taxi plates, but have not yet registered with Motor Vehicle Insurance Limited, are requested to do so during the ultimatum period and deliver your documents to the RTA for further processing.
“Those failing to comply until the lapse of the ultimatum would be asked to re-apply (with sufficient evidence) to the PMV and
Taxi Committee of the Board for re-consideration of your licenses,” he said.