How the land transport scheme works

The transport scheme allows you to add all the DMC you work with in Latin America in order to audit the transport providers they use.

For confidentiality reasons, we do not list the existing companies we audit. Please enter the DMCs you would like to audit and you will automatically linked to them. Once linked, you will then be able to monitor the transport providers and will be updated via emails of any changes to the current status.
 

GUIDANCE NOTES

Important: This scheme only covers the transportation element of tours and activities, not the activity itself.

Definitions
Annual passengers – all passengers that you send to Latin America in one year.

Transport providers – usage

Please note that these definitions refer to your use of different transport providers, and are not affected by whether the transport company itself is small or large.

SMALL: any transport supplier you send less than 10 passengers per year or less than 5% of your annual passengers to Latin America.

NORMAL: suppliers who provide you with transport for at least 10 passengers per year, comprising 5% or more of your annual passengers.

LARGE: a company supplying transportation for more than 90% of your annual passengers.
 

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS

SMALL
If you contract directly with small suppliers then you should just send them a document based on the LATA Safety Guidelines for Small Transport Providers, and make sure you review and re-submit the guidelines on a regular basis (we suggest at least annually). These providers should not be added to the LATA system for self-audit, unless:
a) you believe their operation poses an above-normal risk
b) there have been previous incidents where the cause has not been addressed

NORMAL
Add their contact details to the LATA website. If they’re already listed add them to your list of transport suppliers.

LARGE
You should seriously consider operating your own risk management scheme and not rely only on LATA’s self-audit if you depend almost entirely on one provider.
 

HOTELS AND LODGES WHICH INCLUDE TRANSFERS (ROAD OR BOAT)

Please note that properties where you have to take a hotel-provided transfer in order to arrive at the destination should not be included, since that transport is already self-audited under the hotel scheme.
 

HOTELS AND LODGES WHICH INCLUDE TOURS AND ACTIVITIES (ROAD OR BOAT)

If you work directly with a hotel which operates a significant numbers of tours which you prebook for your clients (or which are included in the packages you buy), and the number of passengers you expect to send reaches the above guideline, then you should consider adding them. Please bear in mind that our transport scheme can only audit the transport element, and not the activity itself. If you use a ground agent to book the lodge/hotel then you should add the ground agent and not the hotel.
 

LAND TRANSPORT SUPPLIER GRADING

The Land Transport scheme is based on three basic grades: Green, Yellow (there are concerns, but sales need not be stopped whilst action is being taken to rectify those concerns), or Red (sales should be suspended until appropriate action has been taken).
 

VIEW LAND TRANSPORT GRADING >>>

 

WHAT TO DO IF THEY DON’T MEET REQUIREMENTS

If your provider falls below 5% of your annual passengers, we recommend sending them LATA Safety Guidelines for Small Transport Providers.

If your provider deals with over 90% of your annual passengers consider operating your own risk management scheme.