Private transport operators play a significant role in getting people from A to B in Bermuda - but they, too, must meet the same high standards as their public counterparts, Transport Minister Dr. Ewart Brown has said.

He said in an effort to improve all of Bermuda's modes of transport, proposals have been made to ensure that standards are set, and met, for all private service providers, whether they be taxis, minibuses, rental scooters, water sport operators or horse and carriages.

Customer service and ensuring high standards of service were two ways that Dr. Brown said he believed private transport could be enhanced.

And he said operators licensed in Bermuda should be expected to provide a consistently high level of customer service.

Among the 120 suggestions for improve transport in Bermuda and getting people out of their cars and onto public transport, is a proposal for all private operators to follow the The Transit Ambassador Programme, introduced by the Public Transportation Board in 1992.

The programme was designed by the Canadian Urban Transit Association and emphasises the fundamentals of good customer service.

It is designed to train operators to think about communication, dealing with complaints and identifying special needs among their passengers.

And, in the same vein, it has been suggested that the appropriate licensing body incorporate service standards into permits given to the private sector that provide a service to the public.

These standards should be based on standards in effect in the Public Transportation Board, and should address:

Route and hours of operation

Customer service training

Dress code

Vehicle maintenance and reliability

Customer complaints

Communications and fare collection

On-time performance

Supervision

The aim, said Dr. Brown was to improve the quality of service and give better value for money.

His Ministry believes that penalties for non-compliance should be assessed in cases where the service provider does not meet the given standards, and when they are operating as en integrated element of the public system, it is suggested that financial penalties be given.

And to further improve the privately owned transport business, it is proposed that Government will continue with its plans to introduce a computerised central dispatching system, including provisions for the physically challenged and seniors.

And among the proposals were also plans to review the Airport Limousine classification by the Ministry of Transport.