This week we asked the man/woman in the street for their views on the return of large buses, given the number of fatal accidents involving minibuses, and whether it would alleviate the transportation problems which many people face on a daily basis. Their views follow:
Berthwick Charles – ‘They should bring in back the big buses because it is more economic and safer for persons, especially the small children. The small buses don’t stop for them small children. If we had the big buses they would cooperate with the schoolchildren and take them to school. I believe it is right if the government bring them back. The small buses get into too many accidents on the road. Sometimes people have to be on the road till night time when they knock off from work in the afternoon. If we had big buses for this route then you would know that you have to be there at a certain time, the bus pick you up and you gone on our way.’
Samuel Nelson – ‘Night time you would see a lot of people stranded waiting to go home, so I think it would be good if the government could introduce the big buses, it would help ease the situation with all those people.’
Audwin Rutherford – ‘Big buses are necessary to be reintroduced. For one, they will help persons to regulate time. They will also help the older persons and the younger persons. If you know that this is the time the bus is supposed to leave, you will be able to regulate your time. It will also be good for those people who are living on the East Coast and East Bank who have to wait for hours at the various parks every day for transportation. A lot of times, the minibuses would pass the elderly and the small school children, so it would be really good if these buses can be brought back into our society.’
Joseph Roberts – ‘They should stop bringing in small buses for a period of time and then bring in big buses because they are going to take people out of bread. You have to deal with the situation of drivers smoking, drinking and they don’t want to test them. I also believe that persons who are driving minibuses should be at least 30, because people taking their work for granted. With the big buses, I think they should ease them into society, if they want to bring in these buses they need to wait a two-year span and then bring them in because they will put a lot of people out of bread. The road already too small and it is already getting congested.’
Clevan Singh – ‘We need big buses because we punishing for transportation in the afternoon. The minibuses don’t want to stop for the schoolchildren and big people. They also travelling at a rate that we can’t take; the noise and the speeding and making us uncomfortable. We had big buses when I was growing up and it was a good idea. No speeding and we were not choked up in the seats.’
Dexter Glassow – ‘If they bring them back the big buses will not make it, because people always want to travel with the fastest bus. The big buses travel too slow. If a ‘cork ball’ comes they will still go in it. If a big bus comes they will not go into it. Look when they had that rioting and they bring the big buses people didn’t want to travel with them.’
Nikisha Glassow – ‘I think it is great thing to do. I am coming from the Campbellville area and I think it would be a nice thing for the government to do. It would save passengers from being stranded for long hours especially at night.’
Jim Rajubeer – ‘I think it is a good idea. The big buses are more convenient. The small buses are always packed up like sardines, especially at night. The big buses have more space and they are much more comfortable. I remember back in the day when those buses use to operate, it was much better then. I would like to see that come back.’
Javed Persaud – ‘I think they need to bring back a different type of big bus. Based on what I have heard those they had before were too clumsy. I would like for them to bring those buses they use for the Caribbean Premiere League. I think our senior citizens have already served our country and they should be given back something. I have witnessed several times these small bus operators would leave the seniors, because they would play music loud much to the annoyance of them.’
Maryann Correia – ‘I think it’s a great idea because the small buses they are public transportation yet private owners, so public service is not achieved.
They are private owners and they operate to gain a profit, the big buses should have government workers operating them and they earn a monthly salary from the government. The
motive will not be to make to profit but to serve the public.’
