The Ministry of Works and Transport today presented certificates to 12 private garages approving them as official testing stations for the inspection of “T” Goods Motor Vehicles up to 3200kgs M.G.W. from Monday 5th November, 2018.
The recently approved private garages brings the complement of garages that can inspect “T” Goods Vehicles to 18, following the approval of the Vehicle Management Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (VMCOTT) to test “T” vehicles at its three locations, and the Licensing Division Offices at San Fernando, Caroni and Port of Spain.
The approval of new inspection garages follows the Order signed by Senator the Honourable Rohan Sinanan, Minister of Works and Transport on July 23rd, 2018, which amended Regulation 27(1) of the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Regulations (MVRTR) to allow Commercial/Goods Vehicles with a Maximum Gross Weight of 3200kg and under, that are two (2) years old or more, from the date of manufacture, to be inspected, biennially, at approved private inspection stations throughout Trinidad and Tobago.
In presenting the certificates to private garage owners Sinanan complemented the Licensing Division for its hard work in authorizing the 12 garages since the invitation for garage owners to apply was announced last month, and noted the target for an additional 15 to be authorized by the end of November.
“If the garages come up to the standard that is required, we should have from three to 33 areas that one can have these vehicles inspected, so there should be no reason why the owners of these vehicles will not inspect their vehicles. We did put a moratorium for 5 months to give us enough time to have this system in place, and we did also give owners of vehicles that 5 month period to have their vehicle inspected. So come January I know the Licensing Officers will be out there ensuring that we abide by the law and have our vehicles inspected,” he said.