Minister addresses bus schedule issues
In October the Transport Department introduced new bus schedules for the Western and Southern routes that were supposedly designed to iron out glitches in the system, but tonight a mountain of problems remain. The new system has produced overcrowding, non-compliance to schedules, late arrivals and departures from terminals, while traffic officers who are supposed to monitor the routes are no shows. News Five caught up with Transport Minister Melvin Hulse to find out what they’ve been doing to fix those persistent kinks.
Melvin Hulse, Minister of Transport
“None of the problems will be resolved instantly because you put in a new programme because there was never a programme. There are more buses and there are less buses crowded than before. That is a fact. There are instances where, especially while we try get this whole system going pan wah Sunday and public holidays because that is not like the regular time and each of the company have been getting more buses. So there instances where buses are crowded but it is not the norm. We have to continue to enforce, keep on top of it until everybody understands because what mi di beat all the bus owners is that they have been used to all their life yoh get wah permit, yoh permit dah fi one bus.”
“It has been a while for them to understand, even the people weh work at the terminals, and we’ve tried to explain to them, we say guys, if a person has slot, that permit is for that slot. Dehn people have to provide whatever amount of buses is needed for that slot and it has been done in ninety percent of the cases. I will never seh that it is one hundred percent perfect. What we are doing now is getting enough space so that each company can have a standby bus parked.”
“What I’ve done in Dangriga for the people also, I’ve put in sleeping quarters and I’ve put in some showers and what not so that the bus companies can have standby bus where their people can be available there. So we have to put in the measures because the standby bus has to be available in the event that a particular run… you have to understand dah noh every run need all these extra buses but the owner will have to have a bus and driver and conductor available at all times.”
Hulse says bus owners who continue to ignore the regulations will be prevented from operating.
Melvin Hulse
“I’m constantly fussing and calling the bus owners again between Christmas and New Year because the business is set up, the zoning is set up. Noh mek greed mek you di jam people on buses because ih wah reach wah point where yoh permit will be cancelled. I noh di rail up, I noh di threaten anybody right now, yoh had ninety days and ninety days for any operation is not an undue length of time. But I tell them and that’s why I told Stanley, Stanley I’m going to request to the Board that your runs be cancelled.”
Marion Ali
“Stanley as in Usher’s bus service?”
Melvin Hulse
“Usher’s Bus Service because he has not provided it. He has the permit–Dangriga. The most pressure we’re getting right now outta Dangriga is because Stanley’s slot is not being filled. So if his slot not being filled when that other slot comes along we have two different groups waiting for that. When that would not have had the load then if it was addressed at the beginning.”
Hulse adds that several transport officers have been terminated for accepting bribes from bus operators.
