ONE local ride-sharing operator, who says he has conformed to the rules of the Transport Authority for the past decade, has expressed disappointment with Transport Minister Daryl Vaz’s “broad-brush” decision on Tuesday to place a ban on all ride-sharing or ride-hailing apps with immediate effect. However, others are in full support of the move by the minister.

Owner of ride-share companies Red Plate and Intermetro Transportation Service, Aldo Muir, who is also a member of the National Transportation Steering Committee, said the announcement by the minister lacks consideration for operators and will jeopardise the livelihood of individuals who have pumped millions into operating a legal transport venture.

“It’s unfair to be lumped together with inDrive and the others who don’t operate under the same guidelines. We’ve invested millions and worked with the Transport Authority for the past 10 years. This blanket statement shutting out everyone, effective immediately, is alarming,” Muir told the Jamaica Observer.

Weeks ahead of yesterday’s announcement Muir said that the National Transportation Steering Committee, which acts as a voice for transport operators across the island, has been meeting with the Transport Authority and the minister on the drafting of a policy paper that would guide how ride-share operators interact with the public.

MUIR…It’s unfair to be lumped together with inDrive and the others who don’t operate under the same guidelines. We’ve invested millions and worked with the Transport Authority for the past 10 years. This blanket statement shutting out everyone, effective immediately, is alarming.

In the last meeting Muir said he left with the understanding that the Transport Authority would call a meeting with local operators to get feedback on the ministry’s intentions and to better understand the day-to-day operations of the ride-share companies.

“We have been having this conversation, but what has been missing from the discussion is the input and the consideration of the local operators. It was my understanding that the minister would have a meeting with us so that when he makes an announcement we have a clear understanding that we are not included, but now we are being asked to attend the meeting after the announcement..this is crazy,” he said.

A meeting is scheduled to be held with the operators and Minister Vaz on Friday, during which time Muir hopes to get clarification on the way forward for the operators.

“We’re small business owners who can’t just walk away based on a statement from Parliament. We hope the meeting on Friday will provide clarity. Unless the minister publicly states that local, legally operating companies are not included in the ban, it will be challenging for us to continue.

“Jamaicans will react to the news that everything is shut down. The minister needs to clarify that he didn’t mean everyone, just those not complying with regulations. Otherwise, it will cause significant issues for him and for us,” he said.

Meanwhile, Olivia Lindsay, CEO of 876 On The Go, and David Lee who is the executive director of Dryva Group, both expressed their support for a defined regulatory environment for legitimate operators in the space.

“We support the minister’s position to take an immediate action that is necessary to weed out the bad players, and promote and legitimise the players to operate under the law,” Lee said.

In a press release yesterday Lindsay expressed her commitment to working with the Government to find a solution that preserves the benefits of this niche market while addressing safety concerns.

“876 On the Go acknowledges the gravity of the minister’s recent announcement to ban all ride-share transportation. We understand the imperative to enhance regulations on the integration of transportation and technology, to ensure safety, comfort, and security for all users.

“We have always prioritised due diligence…,” she said.

While making his contribution to the 2024/25 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives Tuesday, Vaz said that he recommends that, effective immediately, a ban be placed on all ride-sharing apps until the operators, the Transport Authority, and the ministry can come to the table and work out properly how these apps will be regulated in terms of making sure safety, and background checks of the drivers are done not only by the ride-share apps, but by local authorities.

Later in the afternoon the minister then took to social media platform X, formerly Twitter, to share that, effective immediately, Cable and Wireless and its Jamaican affiliates are directed to restrict access, in Jamaica, to all ride-hailing applications via its network.

The ban comes a day after the police announced that remains they discovered in Salt River, Clarendon, on Monday are believed to be those of missing St Peter Claver Primary and Infant School teacher, Danielle Anglin.

The school teacher went missing on May 13 while on her way to school from her Hellshire, St Catherine, home where she had reportedly chartered a cab via a ride-sharing app. Deputy Commissioner of Police Fitz Bailey has revealed that the suspect believed to be responsible for Anglin’s kidnapping and subsequent murder was arrested back in 2015 on sexual assault charges.

Local operators to be impacted by the ban include 876 On the Go, Lyft, inDrive, Uber, Travelr Taxi Service, Red Plate, and Intermetro Transporation Service.

— Additional reporting by David Rose