The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

For the last week at the downtown bus terminal and since the recent time change. This has created a clogging of sorts there. As many of the workers relying on this form of transportation to get from work, were left sitting in the dark...at the Frederick Street south side, where the 10-a, 14-a and 15-a are lined up.

Some of the workers get off work at 6:30pm and have to get a bus and arrive in time to catch the final ride to their residence. But what I and others have found, is that many of the buses use 6pm, as their last run, this leaves many struggling to find alternative transportation.

The Bahamian people would like to know from the controller of Road Traffic Department, what are the operating hours/times for the jitney buses daily on the island? And since the public transportation system falls under the RTD, I think that it is only fair that the roster there, take into account those operating hours and have officers assigned, especially at the bus stops in the downtown area.

Also struggling to make their journey are tourists, wanting to get to their resort properties, along West Bay Street and even far west as Lyford Cay.

Someone needs to monitor this situation. Just the other night around 6:20pm there were four tourists trying to get to Cable Beach, gathered at the Frederick Street (north) stop and in succession the first 10-rt, jitney arrived, the driver said “sorry, I am off”.

Another 10-rt, bus came and he said the same thing, the third bus came and did not pull off to the designated area, but kept going.

The female police officer on duty at that junction, was so frustrated that she actually questioned one of the drivers, who stated that he began work from 4am, that is on you the officer told him.

The operating hours are from 6am to 7pm. But this did not matter. The officer managed to convinced a driver from 10-a, to take the tourists beyond his appointed cut-off-point.

Controller, something needs to be done about these bus drivers. Maybe if they see your officers there they would realise that any violations of the codes, could cause their licences to be suspended. So can you deploy your officers at the downtown bus terminal until the official closure for jitneys?

FRANK GILBERT

Nassau,

November 27, 2019.