Mark Beckford, Staff Reporter

A new taxi group has been formed in Kingston, bringing with it a raft of ideas it says will lead to the improvement of transportation along Kingston's thoroughfares.

With the perception of taxi operators being unruly in the Kingston and St Andrew region, president of the East Central Taxi Route Association (ECTRA), Michael Bennett, said the association will be moving to hold taxi operators accountable for their actions.

"What we want to ensure is that the operators live up to certain standards that we are planning on putting in place, uniform for one, the abuse of the road and there are other areas." he said.

The group held its first press conference last Friday at 121 Windward Road in east Kingston, saying it was in negotiations with the Ministry of Transport and Works, the Jamaica Urban Transit Company and the Transport Authority to secure routes for its members.

The executive of ECTRA is also hoping to hold meetings with the police high command with a view to improving relations between taxi operators and law enforcement officials.

Parking plans

The members will also seek to have a meeting with the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation to develop a parking plan across eastern and central Kingston.

Other plans in the group's purview is to assemble a legal team to help taxi operators, to train taxi drivers through the HEART Trust National Training Agency, to assist members with loans, discounted car parts and gasolene.

The group, which was formed in September, is a member of the National Taxi Operators Association which currently has five members.

mark.beckford@gleanerjm.com