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TRANSPORT AUTHORITY’S 2024/2025 LICENSING PERIOD HAS STARTED
Transport Authority says the 2024/2025 licencing period has started for all categories of public passenger vehicles and commercial carriers; and as part of the Authority’s digital transformation programme, will be emailing the Road Licences to its customers. The Authority says the February 1, 2024 start of the Licensing Period is to facilitate the timely submission and processing of road licences and commercial carriers applications, which expire on March 31, 2024. To complement this process, the Authority has been facilitating motor vehicle Inspection for public transportation since January 8, 2024. The Authority is advising that application can be made at our Online Application portal at www.ta.org.jm for the following categories of Public Passenger Vehicle Licences and Commercial Carriers: · New and Renewal Contract Carriage, Express Carriage and Route Taxi licences; · Renewal Hackney Carriages; and · New and Renewal Commercial Carriers · Walk-in customers will be processed by our Customer Care Team The Transport Authority is reminding customers who conduct transactions at its offices, that the Authority no longer accepts cash payments at its locations. Customers may use any of the several payment facilities including paymaster, bill express, apply online or use debit and credit cards at the offices. PPV operators and Commercial Carriers are urged to renew their road licences before March 31 and avoid the late payment penalty. -30-
2024/25 PPV Licencing to be done through new Transport Authority Advance Integrated Management System (TAAIMS)
{{ "News/Caption 2.JPG" | asset_url | img_tag }}Mr. Ralston Smith, Managing Director, Transport Authority (2nd left) flanked by members of his team to include Mr. Michael Byrue – General Manager, Finance (left), Miss Taj-Marie Osbourne – Senior Legal Officer (centre), DSP Damion Jarrett of the St. Ann Police, and Mr. Lincoln Ogilvie, Managing Director of Orion Loss Adjustors as he addressed a stakeholder meeting to include Route Taxi Association leadership speaking about the new Transport Authority Advance Integrated Management System (TAAIMS).Kingston, Jamaica - January 24, 2024: The licence renewal of all public passenger and commercial vehicles will now be done online through the new Transport Authority Advance Integrated Management System (TAAIMS) come February 1, 2024. The revelation of this electronic motor vehicle licensing process was made by Managing Director of the Transport Authority, Mr. Ralston Smith, at a meeting of the Route Taxi Associations recently. Mr. Smith stated that this system is intended to make the licensing application and renewal processes more efficient; allowing for faster turnaround time, approval and delivery of road licenses. “I am very optimistic of the process and every member of the Transport Authority staff is engaged in behind-the-scenes activity to make the licensing season a success,” the Managing Director stated. He said that the Transport Authority has been transitioning from the old Licensing Management Information System (LMIS) to TAAIMS over the past two years and that it is now ready to electronically process all PPV licences for the 2024-25 licensing period. The Managing Director stated that two years ago the Transport Authority made an investment in a suite of [computerized] applications to revolutionize the way the Authority does business, and that by last year it was ready to support commercial carrier applications electronically. He further posited that public transport cannot be ordered today the same way it was ordered 10 years ago. Therefore we must embrace technology as part of the solution. He stressed that change is one of nature’s most inexhaustible laws. Therefore, it is a process that we must embrace in order to grow and develop. He emphasized that with this new approach, the Transport Authority/ Associations are giving stakeholders a sense of importance and autonomy. “Public passenger vehicle licensees not part of a taxi association can be facilitated entirely on-line, once all payments are made with a visa debit or credit card,” it was explained. The new Transport Authority Advance Integrated Management System (TAAIMS) is designed in an integrated manner with the Tax Office, insurance companies and police. Once the applicant’s motor vehicle documents are current, the on-line application can be completed allowing for the applicant to only make contact with the Transport Authority to collect their motor vehicle sticker. {{ "News/Caption 11.JPG" | asset_url | img_tag }}Mr. Ralston Smith, Managing Director, Transport Authority speaking about the new Transport Authority, Advance Integrated Management System (TAAIMS) at a stakeholder meeting to include Route Taxi Association leadership.Mr. Ralston Smith further charged that the Transport Authority, as a regulator must seek to innovate, evolve and change and that as Taxi Associations, they too have that inescapable responsibility to change. The 2024-25 PPV motor vehicle licensing period commenced with the pre-cursory inspection on January 2. Applications for all other public passenger and commercial carrier licensing commences February 1, 2024. The Transport Authority is urging all their licensees to renew their road licences early and avoid prosecution come April 1, 2024. Queries regarding the road licence application process may be directed to the Transport Authority via its toll-free number at 1-888-991-5687 or 876- 926 -8912.
MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTION FOR 2024/2025 LICENSING PERIOD COMMENCES JANUARY 8
The Transport Authority’s 2024/25 Licencing Period commences this January with the pre-cursory motor vehicle examinations on Monday, January 8. All public passenger vehicle (PPV) licence holders are being encouraged to get their vehicles examined at the various Transport Authority locations islandwide. Effective February 1, the Authority will commence the acceptance of renewal applications for all categories of public passenger and commercial carriers. Customers are being encouraged to use the online portal at www.ta.org.jm to save time during the licencing process. Customers conducting transactions at the Authority’s Head Office, are being reminded that the Authority no longer accept cash payments at this location. Customers may also use any of the several payment facilities including Paymaster, Bill Express, National Commercial Bank (NCB), bank vouchers, debit and or credit cards at the office. Under sections 61 (1) and 78(1) respectively, it is illegal to operate a vehicle as public passenger or commercial carrier without the requisite Road Licence. Therefore, the Authority urges all operators of public passenger vehicles and commercial carriers to renew their road licences early and avoid prosecution come April 1, 2024. All queries regarding the road licence application process may be directed to the Transport Authority via its toll-free number at 1-888-991-5687 or 876- 926 -8912. -30-
APPROVED WRECKING FEES EFFECTIVE JANUARY 2, 2024
KINGSTON, JAMAICA: In an effort to curtail and manage the wrecking service operation across the island, the Transport Authority, the police and wrecker operators have established an agreement to take effect January 2, 2024. Managing Director of the Transport Authority, Mr. Ralston Smith says, “The agreement is designed to govern the conduct and behavior of wrecker operators, and to further manage the charge for the services they render.”He said an approved wrecker fee rates has been established and it must be adhered. The newly established wrecking fees are as follow: APPROVED WRECKER RATES Motor Car Motor Truck (Hiace & Coaster etc.) Category New Rate ($) New Rate ($) 5km Radius of Pound 12,000.00 22,500.00 Per Kilo over 5km radius 600.00 800.00 No Key Charge 4,500.00 6,000.00 Effective Date: January 2, 2024 Table: Showing newly approved wrecking fees as of January 2, 2024. Meanwhile, Mr. Smith added that the approval of a fee structure is part of the Authority's move to cauterize the exorbitant wrecking fees charged by the various service provider. -30-
