Arrangement put in place to apply for free access to toll roads for hurricane relief missions

The Ministry of Transport is reporting that an arrangement has been put in place to allow persons and entities doing relief missions to apply for permission to access toll roads for free.

Many persons were caught off guard this morning following the reinstatement of toll rates at midnight on Monday, causing relief missions, including those being undertaken by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, to be stuck in traffic for hours.

The transport ministry says under the protocol, which took effect today, all Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), charitable entities, and international partners engaged in humanitarian work must submit a written request for toll access to the Toll Authority of Jamaica.

Each request must include the following details:

* Date of Travel

* Organisation name and authorised contact person (name, position, telephone, and email)

* Vehicle make/model and licence plate number(s)

* Drivers’ full name and licence number

* Toll corridor(s) to be utilised

* Destination or affected communities being served

* Details of any accompanying security escort (vehicle, licence plate, and

driver)

Requests should be submitted via email to toll.authority@mtw.gov.jm and jerome.palmer@mtw.gov.jm; telephone, (876) 929-5119 / (876) 929-6393.

Once received, approvals will be processed and granted within nine hours or less, ensuring there are no delays to essential relief missions, said the transport ministry.

Additionally, private individuals or volunteer groups contributing to recognised relief operations may also apply for toll access by submitting the same information outlined.

Each request will be verified by the authority.

Upon approval, the Toll Authority will issue a Letter of Authorization confirming toll-free access for the approved vehicles.

The drivers must present this letter at toll plazas for verification.

Concessionaires shall retain copies for audit and record-keeping purposes.

For the emergency and security forces, the existing arrangements for marked emergency and security vehicles, including police, fire, ambulance, and military units, remain in effect.

These vehicles will continue to have unrestricted access to all toll facilities.

The transport ministry says the relief toll access protocol will remain in effect until government-led recovery and relief operations are complete.

Transport Minister Daryl Vaz said that the measure by the Toll Authority underscores the Government’s commitment to supporting rapid national recovery.

“The Government remains committed to supporting relief and recovery operations across the island. We understand that time is of the essence and this expedited protocol ensures that no legitimate aid mission is hindered by administrative or logistical delays,” said Vaz.

Vaz reiterated his appreciation to emergency responders, utility crews, volunteers, families, the entertainment sector, and corporate Jamaica and other private groups for their ongoing support in restoring normalcy across the island.