Bus companies face off in Belama
Today there was territorial dispute. But this time it wasn’t at the border…it was in Belama. Just after 8:00 this morning two Novelo’s buses blocked another company’s bus from going anywhere for almost an hour. The Novelo’s drivers say they did it to help the Police and Transport Department do their job. The other bus company says they are just trying to do business. News Five was at the scene.
Janelle Chanona, Reporting
It’s not every day you see two buses blocking another bus in the middle of the road for almost an hour. The bus stuck in the middle belongs to Carlton Rushford of Hattieville. The other two belong to Novelo’s Bus Line. The Novelo’s drivers say they only wanted the Transport Department and Police to check out the other bus.
Alexander Cardinez, Novelo’s Bus Driver
“I went to transport and complain right about this bus here and it looked like they don’t want to do anything. So we blocked the bus so that the Police and Transport could check it. Sometimes these buses don’t have insurance, license plate and they are up here running.”
Janelle Chanona
“So you decided to take matters into your own hands?”
Alexander Cardinez
“I am not taking matters into my own hands but we have to do something. I mean we take a lot of kids and if we up here racing and racing, it won’t make any sense.”
Janelle Chanona
“You all are racing?”
Alexander Cardinez
“Yes. Big race up here at morning time between me, not with this one, another yellow bus but it concerns that same man.”
That man is Carlton Rushford. He won’t speak to us on camera but his conductor Leroy Kerr says working in Belama is their way of getting back at the Novelo’s bus company for having routes in Hattieville.
Leroy Kerr, Conductor, Rushford Bus
“Hattieville is ours, we born and grow in Hattieville. So we’re supposed to get first preference.”
Janelle Chanona
“You all have a permit to run in this area?”
Leroy Kerr
“No ma’am.”
Janelle Chanona
“So why you all up here then?”
Leroy Kerr
“Because we want them to feel the same thing we feeling up there…how they are pressuring us with the people there. We want to pressure them the same way. I just want this problem solved.”
Regardless of who’s right, in the end, both companies lost money defending their principles. They also spent the rest of the morning explaining their position to the police.
Janelle Chanona
“Overall, you think you did the right thing this morning?”
Alexander Cardinez
“Well so far yes.”
Janelle Chanona for News Five.
The drivers of the Novelo’s buses, Alexander Cardinez and Hernan Serrano have since been charged with causing an Unnecessary Obstruction. The driver of the other bus, Carlton Rushford Jones was charged with Driving an Unlicensed Motor Vehicle and Displaying an Unauthorized License.
