Commuters who are overcharged by minibus operators or encounter buses without displayed fare structures are being urged to report the matter to the nearest police station — and they do not need to travel to Georgetown to do so.
The reminder came from Inspector Andre Forde during a recent episode of the Road Safety and You programme, where he encouraged passengers to take action against operators flouting approved fare regulations.
“Any police station, you don’t have to wait till you return to Georgetown to come to Brickdam — any police station, the nearest you report same. Make sure you get the bus number and the bus route, and the police will deal with it,” Inspector Forde urged.
He stressed that passengers have the right to report operators charging above approved rates, whether or not a fare structure is displayed on the vehicle.
Sergeant Vangronigen added that persons making reports will be required to provide a statement to police before the matter is taken further.
It is an offence for drivers to fail to display the approved fare structure, and equally an offence for passengers to fail to pay the required fare.
Inspector Forde’s remarks come amid recent protests by minibus operators calling for a fare increase. The government, however, has maintained that no such increase has been approved. In a statement, authorities confirmed that no fare hike has been sanctioned across any mode of public transportation, including minibuses, hire cars, speedboats, and airport taxis.
