The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

Jitney drivers yesterday estimated that fare revenue is down 70 percent year-over-year due to a combination of low economic activity, high unemployment and COVID restrictions on passenger numbers.

Harrison Moxey, the United Public Transportation Company's (UPTC) president, told Tribune Business: “There is not much movement. We are down by 70 percent in sales aside from one or two routes like 16A and 15, which may see a return. The Cable Beach route is a disaster.

"We are operating at half capacity. The schools are closed and children aren’t moving, so all of that factors into the movement. Rudolph Taylor, the Bahamas Unified Bus Drivers Union's (BUDU) president, added: “Things are slow. People aren’t moving like that, so things are very slow.”

He said jitney drivers are not making a profit because it is “hard on the road”, and the volume of passengers is not anywhere near pre-COVID-19 levels “so the funds are not there for the jitney drivers".

“I’d say we are down by 50 percent from last year because the road is real slow," Mr Taylor added. "Some of the busses have not even come back on the road because they refuse to come back during this slow period. School is closed and many people are still out of work.”

Jitney drivers requested a fare increase from $1.25 to $2 at the height of the pandemic earlier this year, but this was rejected by the Government. However, Mr Moxey yesterday reiterated: “We need that increase.

"The Government is holding back on that, but we are going to need that for the busses to get back in shape. There is no feedback and we are only sharing sip-sip, so we will be petitioning hard for it in the New Year. This is very important to our survival.”

While positive over December's re-opening of the major resorts, and hoping this will drive more passengers to use public transportation Mr Taylor added: “I can’t say how it will affect us because I don’t know what Atlantis opening up will be like, but I hope it does go well because some of their workers use the busses, so I hope it is for the positive."

Echoing this view, Mr Moxey said: “We hope for January that we will have full capacity. We have been managing pretty well, but we are looking for the hotels to add to the public transportation. We have to build that public confidence in ridership, so there are a lot of things we have to look at."

As for the COVID-19 protocols on the busses, Mr Taylor said: “Controlling the passengers is straightforward and it is not a problem. We have a sign on our busses, so no mask, no entry. People look forward for the spray in their hand or seeing the various machines on the busses, and they go to it.”

Estimating that up to 20 percent of bus drivers did not resume services back in August for fear there would be insufficient business to cover their costs, he added that those drivers on the road have faithful customers that depend on them daily.