As transportation woes continue…“Big buses” remain a mere consideration

Aug 12, 2013 News

As commuters continue to face discomfort, the issue of “big buses” becoming operational is still merely under consideration, just as it was back in 2008.
The Ministry of Public Works had expressed that it is considering the addition of “big buses” to the public transportation system in an effort to alleviate transportation woes across the country.
Minister of Transport, Robeson Benn during a recent interview said that this move is still being considered, and that proposals are yet to be made to Parliament.
The Minister declined to say what is causing the hold ups, and why, after so long, it is still merely “under consideration”.
In June of 2008 when fuel prices were at record highs and commuters were begging for relief, the government had expressed an interest in acquiring 150 large and medium-size passenger buses to upgrade the public transportation services.
An advertisement by the Ministry of Public Works and Communications at the time had invited expressions of interest for the supply of the buses.
Since then, the price of fuel has dropped significantly, and the “big buses” are yet to make an appearance on the roadways.
Meanwhile, persons are still hoping that this move would soon materialize, in order to ease them of their continuous worries. One such worry includes passengers being stranded at minibus parks for hours.
Some Route 31 (West Bank to Georgetown) commuters- working parents and students- related some inconveniences that they are faced with on a daily basis.
One woman told this newspaper that as frivolous as it may seem, transportation woes have caused a decline in her marriage.
She explained that during the time she leaves work at around 17:00hrs, there would be a massive build up of commuters along Lombard Street, with limited minibuses in operation. This, the woman said, would most times result in her, and other persons being stranded in Georgetown for hours.
The woman explained that her husband refuses to believe that transportation woes are so extreme, and would often accuse her of infidelity.
“Whenever I ain’t lucky enough to get a bus early, I does get cuss, and that does be a lot. He know the situation on the park, but still, he does get vex with me. I does done work at six, and sometimes I does reach home till eight-nine. He even slap me up a couple times fuh being late and leaving we daughter at the Day Care. The man seh that he does work on the East Bank and he don’t understand why I does can’t reach home early. So that is some of the things that we does be faced with, and it might seem funny, but only the people who experiencing it could tell yuh,” the woman said.
A few others also attested to having marital problems as a result of reaching home late.
As for students, many told this newspaper that the situation is affecting their studies.
A St. Joseph’s High School student said that “by the time I done school and lessons, I does usually got to wait on that bus park for hours. That is really exhausting, so by the time I reach home, is eat, bathe and bed…I does be tired and don’t able stay up late to study and do homework. But next morning I can’t give my teacher that excuse.”
Many, especially working parents and secondary school students were in favour of the “big buses”, suggesting that the buses pick them up at the respective “corner stops” on the main road, and transport them to the Capital City during Monday to Friday.
Young females complained particularly about having to walk through dark streets to reach their homes during the late night.
These commuters, particularly those using route 42 (Grove/Diamond) buses are hoping that the “big bus” operations would also put an end to them being exploited by minibus operators.
Kaieteur News understands that during the peak hours, the route 42 minibuses would haphazardly convert to operating a non-existing “Diamond inside route”, demanding that commuters disembarking before Diamond Housing Scheme pay a fare of $160, as opposed to $60 from the city to Providence and $80 up to the new scheme.
Many are eager to see the “big bus” system put in place, and are calling on the Government to swiftly implement it.

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