IN response to concerns raised about the overloading of minibuses, Traffic Chief Ian Amsterdam told the Guyana Chronicle yesterday that passengers could use technology and record video and still photographs of defaulters and give it as evidence to the police.The senior superintendent added that passengers have to take the first step in providing the police with the information, so that they could deal with recalcitrant minibus operators, who are bent on breaking the law.

It has been recently observed that minibus operators plying the Enterprise/Georgetown route are charging passengers $200 per person with four persons in a row of seats, even though the fare is $140.

When concerns were raised by disgruntled passengers, especially in the afternoons, the driver and conductor were rude and very disrespectful to elders and others and were asked to disembark the bus.

Some passengers were not pleased that they were made to pay $200 per person and still had to travel with four extra passengers, 19, instead of 15.

The traffic chief said that in such instances, he would urge members of the public to record the licence number and make a report to the police so action could be taken.

He explained that although they do not have any control over bus fares, it is not right for minibus operators to be overcharging passengers; as such, he encouraged them to record video or take still photos of them.

Amsterdam pointed out that it is dangerous to travel in an overloaded minibus, not only because it constituted a breach of insurance, but the vehicle could tilt to one side and overturn easily when speeding is involved.

He noted that overloading is also a breach of the Road Service Licence; as such, passengers need to expose those lawless minibus operators, so that the police could deal with them accordingly, but evidence is needed.

Amsterdam said they have been receiving many reports, but they need the evidence to deal with such minibus operators, because they are “overdoing” it.