KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Transport Authority is reminding owners and operators of public passenger vehicles that under section 61 (1) of the Road Traffic Act (1938), it is illegal to transport passengers without the requisite road licence.

“Anyone who uses or causes or permits a motor vehicle to be used on any road as a public passenger vehicle without the requisite road licence is in contravention of the law,” the Transport Authority said in a statement on Friday. “As such any provision of public transportation services, deemed functionally as such requires a road licence from the Authority.”

At the same time, managing director, Ralston Smith, is urging the commuting public to use only legal public passenger vehicles for their own safety. He says public passenger vehicles with red plates and current Transport Authority stickers on the windscreen are safe for use as they have met the safety requirements of the Authority.

Commuters are also being asked to check to ensure that the driver of the vehicle is wearing a Transport Authority badge prior to boarding the vehicle. Additionally, the Authority is encouraging commuters to report the licence plate number of any vehicle they observe operating illegally (providing public passenger vehicle services for a fee/fare without a red plate/road licence) by calling its toll free number 888-991-5687, Whatsapp 876-551-8196 or Travel Pal platform at Google Play Store or Apple Store.