Burgerman ordered to get off JUTC bus
Driver refuses to take $1,000 note
Cecil Thoms, the communications manager at the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC), said that an investigation has been launched into claims by popular radio announcer Wesley Burger, also known as Burgerman, that he was cursed out by a JUTC bus operator for not having the required banknote to pay his bus fare.
“I have asked Burger to present the ticket. Then we are going to speak with her (the driver) and get her version of what took place. Based on what she says, a determination will be made as to what course of action will be taken,” Thoms said.
Burger said that he was told to leave the bus after presenting a $1,000 note to pay his fare, which was $100.
After the incident yesterday morning, Burger called the RJR 94 FM radio programme ‘Online’, to voice his frustration. He explained that he decided to take the bus from Portmore because he needed to pick up his malfunctioning vehicle at RJR, which is located at Lyndhusrt Road in St Andrew.
“I said, ‘Let me just take a bus this morning,’ and when I stepped on the bus, I tendered a thousand dollars, and that was the only money that I had and she say, ‘We nuh tek thousand dollars’.
ANOTHER PASSENGER PAID FARE
He said that the driver stopped the bus and told him to leave the bus, but he refused to do so because he needed to get to his destination. He said that he even suggested that the driver keep the change as he simply needed to get to where he was going.
Burger said that another passenger, who was frustrated by the whole ordeal, agreed to pay his fare.
Thoms confirmed that it was indeed the company’s policy not to accept notes above $500.
“I know in some of the buses there are notices indicating that we do not accept $1,000 or $5,000, and this is with good reasons. Sometimes the driver is not able to find change for those notes,” Thoms said.
Thoms also said that if the investigation reveals that the driver needs additional customer service training, then she will be sent for retraining.