Report minibuses overcharging passengers – Police

Passengers who are overcharged by minibus operators or encounter buses without displayed fare structures are urged to report the matter to the nearest police station.

Speaking on a recent episode of the ‘Road Safety and You’ programme, Inspector Andre Forde reminded commuters that they do not have to travel to Georgetown to lodge a complaint.

“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 who charge fares above the approved rates, regardless of whether the fare structure is displayed.

“Any bus that has the fare structure there or not and the passenger is being charged above what is there, you have the right to come to any police station, you don’t have to return to Georgetown, any police station or police officer, you report same.

“Make sure you get the bus number and bus route and the police will take it from there,” Inspector Forde said.

According to Sergeant Vangronigen, passengers making reports will be required to provide a statement to police.

“You come and submit your statement and we take it from there,” he said.

It is an offence for drivers to fail to display the approved fare structure and for passengers to fail to pay the required fare.

Inspector Forde comments come in the wake of recent protests by minibus operators calling for an increase in fares. However, the government has maintained that it has not approved any increase in fares for public transportation.

In a statement, the government said it has neither approved nor sanctioned any increase in fares across all modes of public transportation, including minibuses, hire cars, speedboats and airport taxis.