KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Transport Operators Development Sustainable Service (TODSS), which represents taxi and mini bus operators, has called on the Government to waive all fees for the public transport sector for the 2020 – 2021 operating period.

In a statement today, the group also urged the Government to provide some form of stimulus payment that would compensate operators in the sector, allowing them to carry 50 per cent less passengers over the next six months.

TODSS said the request comes as the number of COVID-19 cases in the island continues to grow. According to the group, the public transport sector must move to address its role in the rise in cases or face the consequences later.

“While we as a sector will do our part by urging passengers to wear their masks, we cannot ask them to be socially distant unless the law reflects that,” the statement read.

“With the upcoming general election and the reopening of schools, every effort must be made by all stakeholders to ensure that COVID-19 remains at a manageable level,” it continued.

“If we don’t give support to the transport sector, then we are setting up ourselves for a major disaster as the sector [has] too often been ignored by the state or even those [individuals] who depend on it for daily service,” the statement added.

TODSS urged that Government to act swiftly, stating that the public transportation sector could be the next epicentre of the coronavirus.

“All 126 [political] candidates will be engaging taxi operators to carry out the sick, lame and lazy to vote on Election Day, some of these drivers will be lifting these sick persons not knowing whether or not they have the virus,” the group said.