Drivers call for better location of route 42 bus park

…say passengers fearful

The quantity of passengers who utilise the route 42 (Diamond-Grove) buses to travel and conduct daily errands has diminished significantly and according to drivers, it is due to the far distance and unscrupulous operators who are operating outside of the recently relocated bus park.
Speaking with Guyana Times on Saturday, the troubled drivers shared their complaints as they have not been able to make a proper daily earning since commuters are refusing to traverse the additional journey to reach the bus park. Additionally, others are choosing to utilise taxis and other transportation which will

get them to their destination faster than waiting for the buses to full.
One driver who identified himself as Derrick (only name given) told this publication that a day’s scenario involves many buses leaving the park with just a few passengers because it now takes close to 40 minutes to acquire a full load.
“Some days, instead of 15 person you leaving here with seven or even less. The trouble is to walk at the back here with all your goods that you buy through this sun. The couple [persons] that reach here don’t want to wait so we got to go away with half load.”
He explained that while the vehicles are consuming the same amount of fuel to complete the route, they are making just over half of their daily earnings.
“It really hard for us cause they saying is years we gotta spend here. Some of us don’t know if we lasting til Christmas. When we getting the park back? This is not even a park. We operating on the street.”
“I get a conductor that got to get pay by the end of the day. I got to buy gas and then I got to give bribe to the constab [City Constabulary] cause they coming every hour to check if we just step out of the line. That’s the truth. This is a hole cause some people still don’t know that we here!” said another by the name of Sheik.
It was relayed by him that they drivers are also afraid to work into the late evening hours since the robbery rate in the area is skyrocketing. The prevalence of petty thieves is increasing in the nights, whereby commuters are constantly being relieved of the belongings, mostly phones, cash and jewellery.
The men noted that they would’ve made efforts to contact the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) but to no avail.
Since August, the park was relocated to make accommodation for vendors of the Stabroek Wharf which was deemed unsafe until rehabilitative works are carried out. Some have been placed on Bugle Street while the others are currently at Water Street.
Drivers are calling for the Town Council to look into the issue and hopefully provide another spot which is not detached from the Stabroek Market and its adjoining transportation hub.