#Jamaica, December 22, 2021 – As of Wednesday (December 22), commuters will be able to access the Transport Authority’s (TA) Travel Pal application (app) to make their public transport safer.

The security mechanism will enable persons to utilise their mobile device to scan the registration plates of units used as public passenger vehicles (PPV), to verify if they are licensed by the Authority.  It will be available for download on android devices from the Google Play Store and the Apple Store.

Transport and Mining Minister, Hon. Robert Montague, said that the app, which was developed at a cost of $2.3 million, is intended to equip users of the public transport system with the tools to protect themselves.

“We are urging persons to download the app… You now have a weapon… You now can become part of the force for good,” he said, at the launch on Monday (December 20) at the Ministry’s Half- Way-Tree offices in Kingston.

Minister Montague informed said the app will have a panic feature, linked to the police 119 system.   A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is to be signed with the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF). The document is now under review.

Managing Director of the TA, Willard Hylton, said the development of the Travel Pal app “gives commuters instant access to a high-tech travel assistant right at their fingertips that will support their decision-making, by selecting public transportation that is safe and reliable.”

“It is important to us that our passengers are aware of the difference between a legal operator and an illegal one. For this reason, the TA has partnered with the Amber Group and the JCF to ensure that our commuters are empowered and equipped with the right information by connecting them with the requisite tools that will help them to make wise choices in their selection of licensed public passenger vehicles (PPVs),” he said.

“The TA is pleased to participate in the development and execution of the Travel Pal app, which we believe, will revolutionise the transportation sector to one that is reliable orderly and also safe,” Mr. Hylton added.

The app was developed by Amber Solutions and supported by eGOV Jamaica Limited.

Contact: Rochelle Williams

Release: JIS