Teething Problems in New Bus System

(By BERT WILKINSON)

ALTHOUGH the long-awaited coding system for mini-buses has been in effect nearly a week now, scores of commuters are still at a loss to determine which buses ply which routes.

Several bus operators were off-duty for hours Monday and Tuesday as they scrambled to have the colour and numbering codes painted on their vehicles.

But Traffic Chief Cyril Fredericks assured operators Monday that the Police have no plans to begin enforcing the system immediately because they are well aware of the difficulties in obtaining paint at the moment. He expects, however, that operators and owners will comply with the Works and Communications Ministry-implemented regulation.

The big question among operators is how to deal with “special drops” they might have been contracted to do outside their specified operating areas as stipulated on road service licences.

The ministry has made it clear that it is not against such business transactions but permission must be sought from the prescribed authority, in this case the Police,” a senior ministry official told Stabroek News Monday.

The explanatory memorandum on road service licences gives an indication of how this system should work ‘“but the success of this aspect of the new system is being questioned by operators.

It says: “The vehicle shall not leave its route except for the purpose of going to a repair shop, filling station or to owner’s or driver’s home and in doing so shall go off route, by the shortest way and go on by the shortest way. Only the drivers and conductor shall be allowed to be on the vehicle when leaving the route.”

The officials could not say if there are any immediate plans to enforce “ON DUTY AND OFF DUTY” display signs on vehicles.