Online training for PPV drivers and conductors

Public Passenger Vehicle drivers and conductors across the island will soon be able to access online training to help them operate more safely and professionally on the road.

Through an online software that is currently being developed by EduFocal Business Limited and sponsored by British Caribbean Insurance Company, drivers and conductors will receive training, via a gamified format, in the use of the road code, defensive driving and customer service.

The first module for the software is expected to be completed by the end of next month.

The idea for the initiative came out of the Minister of Transport and Mining, Robert Montague’s 16-point proposal, which included strategies to professionalise the public passenger transport sector through training and development of the operators.

Consequently, last Thursday Montague signed a tripartite agreement with Managing Director of the Transport Authority, Cecil Morgan; Chief Executive Officer of EduFocal Business Limited, Gordon Swaby; and Managing Director of BCIC, Peter Levy, at the Ministry’s office in Kingston.

“The matter of training is important in any industry, whether it is public passenger, whether it is tourism or whether it is manufacturing,” Montague emphasised, while pointing out that a lack of training for the operators was one of the gaps that he observed when he took control of the Ministry.

According to the Montague, many of the drivers did not get the opportunity that others have, so it is up to the Government to help them to become better drivers.

This, he said, will be done through the online application using their smartphones.

“It is important that we assist our drivers; that’s why the insurance company has come on board. The better trained our drivers are [the fewer] accidents they are going to have and the fewer accidents they have is the lower the insurance premiums, rates and payout and fewer persons will die on our roads,” Montague said.

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