Traffic fines to be paid electronically

By PATRICIA KEAMO
ROAD Traffic Authority (RTA) will no longer accept cash payments for traffic infringement fines and will only process payments electronically through Eftpos and electronic bank transfers, says chief executive officer Nelson Terema.
Terema said Eftpos machines would be stationed with the RTA enforcement officers at different sections in the city where they conduct regulatory checks on vehicles so people fined could make electronic payments on the spot.
He said the authority decided to go “cashless” after receiving numerous complaints from the public on conduct of officers during regulatory checks and how they fined people who infringed traffic rules.
“I think that’s more convenient for the public and more convenient for the RTA as well so we have to to adapt to that new form of cashless payment,” he said.
“This sort of payment (electronic) is more appropriate to adapt to because using the Eftpos machines, the revenue collected is going directly to the bank.
“We don’t want to deal with cash anymore, I think this will sort some of our burdens, and suspicions and accusations from people (on misuse of payments).”
The most common traffic infringement that motorists were fined for are expired registrations, roadworthiness of vehicles, expired driving licences, overloading, and PMVs not operating on their designated routes (shortcuts).
Under the new fees and charges regulations, the maximum infringement fine is K2,000, and the minimum is K100.
Meanwhile, the RTA will soon enforce its cashless system of payments in the 21 provinces throughout the country except for East New Britain (ENB) because no agreement is in place with the ENB government.