A High Court judge has ruled against the imposition of a $15,000 licensing fee by the Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) on private excursion buses.

Justice Frank Seepersad granted declarations sought by the Private Bus Owners/Operators Association and its president, Nazim Mohammed, awarding $75,000 each in vindicatory compensation. Mohammed received an additional $15,000 in nominal compensatory damages while the association received $5,000. He declined to order compensation for the 50 individual members of the association.

In August 2024, Seepersad permitted Mohammed and the association to challenge the legality of the fee in a lawsuit against the PTSC, the Transport Commissioner, and the Office of the Attorney General. Later that month, PTSC agreed to suspend the fee until the court made its determination. This allowed excursion bus owners to apply for a public service vehicle (PSV) licence without paying the fee for vehicle inspections until the case was determined.