In the wake of yet another major tragedy involving a public service vehicle, with several schoolchildren being hurt, one expected that the authorities would react with the promise of strong action. It must come soon.
Yet we are unshakably of the opinion that the time for firm action on such issues has long since come, and that any action should place laser-like focus on the source of the problem in order to cut out the infection which threatens so many other aspects of our daily life
We note the urgency which the minister and his advisers appear to be lending to this matter and that plans were being laid for the general improvement of the River Bus Terminal and the more determined enforcement of the present law and other amendments that are in the pipeline.
Any reasonable person would consider it madness to allow just anyone to walk off the block, armed simply with a licence, to physically control an airplane or an ocean liner and place him in charge. This madness is not allowed not because of the value of the property – although that may be a consideration – but more so because we place a great value on the human lives that are at risk.
Yet we seem to allow this nonsense to take place every day in the absence of a strict regime of registering those who drive vehicles that carry people to work or on personal business. Whatever else is done, in future there has to be a system in which the mere possession of a licence to control and manoeuvre a vehicle is NOT all that is needed.
Some focus has been placed on the position of the owners. This is a step in the right direction but it is not a long enough step. It seems that a major part of the problem is the attitude to rules and regulations on the part of those who are the drivers and conductors.
Even if the owners are brought into the scope of the new stringent regime, some method of registration for drivers which goes beyond competence to drive but takes into account character and attitude should, at the very least, become part of new mandatory registration requirements.
Not every competent driver should be automatically registered with the authorities, and removal from the register must follow a specified number of infringements. Perhaps a single-digit number of infractions should mean the loss of registration and this should be supported by severe penalties for anyone who drives while not qualified and registered to drive such a PSV.
Anyone who can rack up hundreds of convictions for breaking the road traffic regulations will soon regard the entire system as unenforceable and may constitute a nuisance on the streets. Worse, he may be a clear and present danger to all those who travel with him.
Whatever else is done to provide for a stricter regime for the owners, we urge the authorities to focus on making it clear that only those who satisfy the regulators (and are registered with them) that they are competent to drive and also have proper character references and the correct attitudes will be allowed to sit behind the controls of a public service vehicle in this country.
The minister has spoken about the bad apples in the system. Well, strong regulations must be put in place to get rid of these bad apples.