KINGSTON, Jamaica— The People’s National Party (PNP) spokesman on transport and works, Mikael Phillips, says transport operators within the public transport sector must be mandated to wear masks while at work.

Phillips also urged the operators should develop a regimen to sanitize their vehicles often to mitigate against the community spread of the COVID-19.

In a statement today, the spokesperson warned that the possibility of community spread of the virus has increased for commuters in the public transportation system.

“The Government must issue specific guidelines to the sector to protect both operators and commuters as part of the continuous fight against the spread of the deadly disease,” he said.

Phillips noted that some public transport operators have already been wearing the protective gear, but said it should not be left up to personal choice.

“Every driver, conductor and ‘sideman’, along with every passenger must wear a mask during their commute from point A to point B as part of an enhanced protocol of passenger safety.”

Phillips also urged commuters to regularly use hand sanitizers during their commute. He also encouraged bus operators to frequently wipe and sanitize vehicles as part of a daily routine.

He said to facilitate social distancing while using public transport, the rule of fewer passengers per vehicle should be enforced for each trip.

He urged operators practise social distancing by loading fewer passengers into their vehicles

“This would, in effect, negatively impact the income of the operators, but the license fee waiver and the extension on the renewal deadline to May announced by Transport Minister, Robert Montague should somewhat ease the burden on the operators, many of whom have bank loans which they need to service,” Phillips said.

He said the government should extend the fee waiver to six months as the sector is unlikely to recover before year-end.

He called on the Government to consider removing the late fee penalties, which he said most operators consider burdensome in the current circumstances of low earnings and economic devastation.

“A six-month moratorium on licence fees would act as a stimulus for many in the public transport sector to continue to provide uninterrupted service and it would allow them to maintain some basic standard of living for their families during this COVID-19 crisis,” Phillips said.