Samoa's Land Transport Authority is allowing officers discretion on whether they penalise the drivers of overcrowded buses.
Our correspondent reports that some police let overcrowded buses go while others issue tickets to the drivers.
The chief executive of Land Transport, Leasi John Galuvao, says under law, tickets should be issued in all cases of overcrowded buses and excess passengers ordered out.
But he says police officers use their discretion.
Our correspondent reports that bus drivers risk a violent response if they don't pick up passengers regardless of the legal limit on numbers being exceeded.
Meanwhile, Leasi says a decision on the future of wooden buses, built locally on truck bodies, should be reached soon.
They are limited to 34 passengers under law but those that service rural areas often carry more
