Over 100 bus touts arrested and charged in one week

Minibus touts who run the bus parks around Georgetown are being arrested and charged for the offence of soliciting passengers.

Traffic Chief Linden Isles said the Force’s Traffic Department will be continuing its enforcement activities to rid the bus parks of the harassment commuters face daily.

“Over the past week, we have arrested over 100 persons (for) soliciting passengers,” the Traffic Chief told the News Room.

“As it relates to touting the law is clear.

“Whether it be a conductor or a person just working there, they are not supposed to solicit passengers, make any noise or call any passengers to the bus,” the Traffic Chief stated.

According to Isles, before the enforcement exercises, the Force informed bus drivers and conductors that touting is against the law.

“You do not need to call the passengers or take hold their hands to take them into the buses.”

Another campaign is underway to deal with minibuses with coloured lights.

The law requires two white lights to the front of the vehicle at a reasonable distance. Minibus drivers have adapted to using green and blue lights in front of their buses, in some cases even flashing lights.

“So all the blue and green and all these lights are illegal…so we are just highlighting it so we will start enforcing the law.”

According to the Traffic Chief, there have been some cases where the coloured lights have been the cause of accidents.

“There are some accidents which, when drivers are interviewed you would hear that they were blinded by the lights of an oncoming vehicle, blue lights,” the Traffic Chief said.