The Island Traffic Authority (ITA) certifies as fit some 32,000 vehicles per month, or 384,000 per year of an estmated half a million automobiles, but the agency says it has set sights at 100 per cent compliance through programmes like 'operation fit vehicles' to be launched in a week.

The ITA estimates that there are more than 500,000 vehicles operating daily on Jamaica's roads. This places fitness compliance at or around 77 per cent - and not 20 per cent as suggested in earlier reports.

But that still means that, at any one time, about 23 per cent of vehicles have not undergone the mandatory annual fitness test.

Spot checks islandwide

The system largely depends on motorists voluntarily complying with the law - paying $2,500 for private autos and $3,000 per commercial vehicle test.

But for those who attempt to slip through the net, the ITA, working with the police force, conducts spot checks islandwide to force compliance.

"We have actually moved the number of vehicles checked through special road work activities from 500 to 4,000 monthly, and also the number of vehicles found defective and their plates removed have increased from a little under 100 to over 500 monthly," said ITA director Paul Clemetson. "Through 'operation fit vehicles', we intend to further increase the amount inspected to a minimum of 8,000 monthly."

That target, he said, is attainable if each ITA certifying officer checks at least 50 vehicles in two spot checks on a weekly basis.

Clemetson estimates he can come close to full compliance in three months. When a motor vehicle is examined and found to be defective, the plates are removed and the motorist advised to have the problem rectified. When that is done the unit is again inspected after which the owner receives an E2 or 'certificate of defects remedied'.

mark.titus@gleanerjm.com