By CECILY ASSON Tuesday, September 1 2009

WITH the reopening of schools today police and licensing officers will crack down on drivers using panel vans to transport schoolchildren.

Snr Supt Terry Archibald and ASP Cecil Santana are leading the campaign which was launched Friday when drivers received tickets for using the panel vans as taxis to transport members of the public.

Police officers will be on the lookout for drivers using the vans to transport schoolchildren who are being warned to avoid travelling in these vehicles.

“With school opening on Tuesday we have decided that we must focus on these drivers who continue to flout the law. They are endangering people’s lives and the public must be made aware of this and educated on the dangers of travelling in these vans.

“They are not licensed to transport passengers and the insurance will not take care of schoolchildren in the event of an accident,” a senior officer said yesterday.

Last Friday, Acting Transport Commissioner Ruben Cato warned the public against travelling in panel vans.

In a road block exercise yesterday in Golconda, four drivers using their panel vans for hire were issued tickets for operating a vehicle contrary to its registration.

The drivers, police said, used their private vans to transport passengers to various activities during Independence Day celebrations yesterday.

In addition to a charge of operating a vehicle illegally, the drivers were issued with notices to take their vehicles to the Licensing Office in San Fernando for inspection.

“The situation with these drivers who ply their panel vans for hire is threatening to get out of hand and we will have none of it,” said the senior officer.

During an exercise on the Mosquito Creek, Southern Main Road, La Romaine last week, 17 drivers of panel vans were ticketed for the offence of using their vehicles to transport people.

Drivers of panel vans bearing “P” and “T” registration plates are not allowed to carry more than two passengers.

“What the owners do,” the senior office explained, “is that they visit the licensing office and pass the inspection with the required seats.

As soon as they get through there, they go home and put in additional seats.”