Sinanan: Uber service illegal in TT

He continued, “We therefore ask citizens to be cognisant of this fact before considering utilising the service offered by the company.” The minister indicated a letter has been sent to the agents of Uber requesting a meeting with them today. Reminding senators that the ministry issued a statement on Monday about the proposed Uber service, Sinanan said further information will be provided to the public once this meeting takes place.

Uber, the location- based “taxi” app, launched its service in Trinidad at 11 am on Monday, with soca star Machel Montano being its first local customer.

The ministry subsequently indicated it was “seeking legal advice to determine if the service can continue to operate within TT’s legislative framework” and has advised the public to “exercise caution and due diligence.” The ministry said “a major concern” regarding Uber’s operation in TT is whether private vehicles would be used for hire.

The ministry said the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act provides that “no person shall drive on any road, a taxi registered as such, unless he is the holder of a taxi driver’s licence issued to him by the Licensing Authority under these regulations.” The ministry continued, “When you travel with an authorised taxi, you are ensuring that the relevant checks and balances have taken place. Further, the use of a private vehicle for hire is contrary to its registration