Road Traffic Authority

This urgent meeting was attended by Road Traffic Authority (RTA) CEO, Nelson Terema, Jack Waso, President of the NCD PMV Owners Association, female NCDC Board members, Commissioners Elis Siki and Mea Isaac, City Manager Bernard Kipit senior NCDC officers.

In a statement, ICCC Commissioner Paulus Ain explained his office wrote to the RTA to explain how the fees were calculated, but the deadline for the complete response lapsed, and ICCC filed court proceedings on 7^th March for an alleged breach of Section 128 of the ICCC Act.

Ain said the ICCC became concerned when RTA released a public notice in the press on 31^st May, 2018, announcing new road traffic fees and charges to come into effect on 1^st June, 2018.

Among the reported incidents was a motor vehicle accident on Saturday at Six-Mile where a vehicle’s tyres came off, causing the driver to lose control of the CRV.

Eyewitnesses say a man and a woman were on board but luckily escaped without injuries.

On Sunday night, a head on collision involving a taxi and Land Cruiser left a little girl traumatised at Waigani, in front of Laguna Hotel.

A couple who witnessed the incident said the taxi (Kanny Trans Services) was to be blamed as it was on the wrong side of the road.

Most of the fees have increased.

The Motor Traffic (Amendment) Regulation 2007 had allowed for the current traffic fees.

That law had seen the fees ranging from K20 to K1,000 from drivers’ permits to licences and vehicle registrations.

The new traffic rules and regulations, approved by NEC in 2014, will come into effect on June 1^st 2018 with new charges.

As per the Road Traffic Authority, the fees have increased as well as the penalties.

The training commenced on Monday at the Bomana Police Training College, facilitated by the Road Traffic Authority. 

These are provincial police officers from all over the country.

The Road Traffic Authority aims to train them on the new Road Traffic Rules so they can go back and train the rest of their traffic officers in their respective provinces.

The Road Traffic Authority was established after the Road Traffic Act was passed in 2014.

Transport Secretary Roy Mumu said the Road Traffic Authority is now the one stop shop for all traffic related matters.

The new rules will come into effect on June 1^st, 2018.

Among the new rules is the increased fee for obtaining vehicle licence.

In accordance with section 65 of the Road Traffic Act 2014, the Road Traffic Authority took over all the functions of the Land Transport Board, the National Road Safety Council and the Superintendent of Motor Traffic, under the Motor Traffic Act and Regulation, and the Licensing of Heavy Vehicles Act and Regulation, from commencement of the Road Act in September 2014.

Nelson Terema says it is important that they are aware that at any time, the government may decide to take that opportunity away.

“There is a possibility of the government nationalising PMVs and taxis and this will greatly affect operators and owners,” states Terema.

Thus he is calling on these businessmen to appreciate what they have now and not to jeopardise it by getting themselves involved in events such as strikes.

His comments follow the strike in Port Moresby, since Monday afternoon, by PMV bus drivers and operators over the alleged abuse of their colleague.

CEO Nelson Terema said the RTA gives licences to PMV and taxi operators to provide service to the public, and such incidents cannot be tolerated.

He says this reoccurring issue needs to be dealt with thoroughly.  

The public is affected by this strike. Terema says the PMV operators and owners are only thinking of themselves.

Furthermore, this issue will affect especially the Grade 12 students, who are in their second day of exams.

Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Malakai Tabar, said this during the launching of the Road Traffic Authority Corporate Plan 2017 – 2019.

Minister Tabar said while having road infrastructure was a critical element of development, its proper use and regulation was of paramount importance as well.

“The changes in land transport has been overdue for some time. This organisation, RTA, effectively comes up at a time when there is a strong need for coordinated planning to always improve our road and transport usage.

The system which is expected to be rolled out by the middle of the year will amalgamate all functions under various state and provincial agencies.

RTA Chief Executive Officer, Nelson Terema, tells Loop PNG that a tender has been put out for the selection of a reputable company to provide the system.

The system encompasses all functions previously held under the National Road Safety Council (NRSC), National Land Transport Board, Land Transport Division of the Department of Transport, and the Provincial Traffic Registry.