Dear Editor,
They say that lightning doesn’t strike twice in the same place, but I beg to differ. Just a few days ago I embarked on a #56 minibus at the Rosignol Stelling Bus Park. The bus departed with 15 adult passengers inclusive of driver, but this quickly became 17 adult passengers and 3 children under the age of 7. This bus now carried a total of twenty passengers across the Berbice Bridge to the eastern side en route to New Amsterdam.
What really peeves me is the audacity of these bus drivers who are so unscrupulous; not only do they overload their buses to the discomfort of paying passengers, but they charge the same fare of $300, as well as charge about another $100-$200 per a child.
On completion of my business in New Amsterdam I embarked on another #56 mini bus, this time at the New Amsterdam Stelling Bus Park. Would you believe the overloading replayed all over again with the exception that there were no children on my return trip. The bus again departed with 15 passengers inclusive of driver and picked up two oversized adult passengers.
To add insult to injury I was again the unfortunate person to have my seat made for 3 become a seat for 5 as the guy was obese. It is obvious that most if not all of these drivers overload their buses.
Here is the best part: right there on the road leading to the bridge at the Palmyra end was a white patrol car parked in the bushes with at least three officers, and they did not even attempt to stop the bus. I wonder what kind of stake-out were they on; was it only to catch speeding vehicles? That would have been mission impossible as all the vehicles proceeding in both directions gave each other the light signal everyone is so familiar with. It’s the Morse code of drivers to inform each other cops are nearby.
Also in this particular bus the front passenger was not wearing his seatbelt, yet the cops never saw that or the fact that the bus was overloaded.
My question is why does the Traffic Department of ‘B’ Division not have ranks stationed at each approach to the bridge where it will be impossible to let off the passengers once the police are sighted? This way the defaulters can be prosecuted. However, this should not be a short-term exercise, conducted for a week or few days, but all year round, and if possible a 24-hour exercise.
Another question: Isn’t there a law that requires that all minibuses operating for hire have a conductor? News flash: none of these #56 mini buses operates with a conductor. Is it not time to put an end to all the lawlessness on our roads?
Minister Rohee is once more the Home Affairs Minister; it’s time he got his act together. You do not need millions of dollars to put an end to this problem commuters face each time they use the #56 buses or any vehicles that operate for hire; overloading is a major and daily problem and many times the police are aware of it but turn a blind eye.
Yours faithfully,
Juliet Dukhi
