Tougher penalties for offenders

The National Transport PNG

Public Motor Vehicle operators in the National Capital District have been urged to comply with the new traffic rules to avoid being penalised.
Road Traffic Authority Licensing and Registration acting Manager, Wilson Wariaka said effective June 1, tougher penalties under the new Road Traffic Act would be imposed on traffic offenders.
“The new Road Traffic Act replaces the current Motor Traffic Act 1950 and this would see an increase in fees and fines by 80 per cent,” he said.
Wariaka said the aim of the new Act was to promote road safety and ensuring the public felt safe to use public transport.
He said previously the maximum spot fine was K50.
“Under this new RTA Act, the minimum would be K200 and the maximum K4000.”
He said PMVs and taxis would be given seven days to pay up or fix the problem.
“If the problem is not fixed after seven days, then operators would be double charged.”
He said the RTA’s vision was to improve the public transport sector to a whole new level, including:

  • Control centre – which will include GPS, CC TV and ticketing system and bus stops to have screens that provide bus schedule.
  • Feeder routes – buses which would bring passengers to the main bus stops. (This is to improve the public transport to ensure that people do not walk long distance just to catch a bus);
  • Taxies to always display identifying cards which would be issues by RTA just like licenses.
  • RTA would issue an endorsement license which would have all the different classes of a driver has. This would save the hassle of producing different licenses upon request by authorities.
  • Breathalyzer testing for drunk driving.

Driving through traffic lights is a new offences and is included in the new RTA Act.
That would also cover the use of speed cameras. Drivers would be ticketed if they exceed the speed limit of 60 km.
Wariaka urged PMV owners, drivers and crews to accept the change and follow all traffic road rules to avoid being charged.
He also warned those PMV operators staging illegal strikes not to force other operators to join them.
“If you are being forced to stop operating your routes from thosestaging a strike, report them to us immediately.
“We will remove their license privilege to operate, and confiscate their license and we will sell the bus within 3 months.”
Wariaka said this was all part of the RTA’s corporate plan to make public transport in the country more customer-oriented, safe, efficient, reliable and environmentally friendly within an efficient and sustainable system.