Service Stations as taxi stands

Gas stations are the latest hub for drop off and pick up points for several taxi operators in Montego Bay which placing a strain on the multimillion dollar traffic management system recently implemented. 

Three critical areas where gas stations are located in downtown Montego Bay and where taxi operators illegally operate from they are Union Street, St. James Street and Barnett Street according to communications and customer service manager for the National Works Agency (NWA) Stephen Shaw. 

“We have a serious challenge with these areas being used as taxi stands and parking. It leads to the system not functioning as it should” he lamented. He remarked that while high traffic areas such as supermarkets and gas stations will present an obstacle in the flow of traffic, it is the lack of discipline that is reaping havoc on the traffic management system.

The traffic management system for Montego Bay was financed to the tune of J$55 million by the Tourism Enhancement Fund and was activated in November of 2009. 

Head of the National Council of Taxi Association and the St. James Taxi Association Dion Chance sided with the NWA noting that the practice “is illegal".

"But is compounded the passengers who refuse to use the designated taxi and bus park as stipulated by the Transport Authority. There are taxi operators who use the designated facility but the passengers are not going there so it results in taxi operators having to go back on the road to pick up commuter”Chance explained. Nevertheless, he blames the Jamaica Constabulary Force for the failed attempt to enforcement.  

“What is needed” Chance argued “is a more proactive and sustained type enforcement by members of the JCF which would then force the passengers to use the designated facilities. What is happening now is selective enforcement where only some areas are policed and that will not solved the problem we are now facing”.

However, assistant commissioner in charge of operations at the Area One Police Division Paul Ferguson charged that the practice of selective enforcement is frowned upon by the police hierarchy.

He added that “our enforcement with the traffic situation in Montego Bay continues to be a work in progress. I admit that much more can be done to curb the problem and the issue of selective enforcement is not something we encourage. Nevertheless, we are working the Transport Authority and the parish council to address the traffic flow problems caused by taxi operators”.