The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

Jitney drivers yesterday asked the government for two months’ grace to licence their vehicles as they prepare to return to the roads on July 1 after a two-and-a-half month absence.

Rudolph Taylor, the Bahamas Unified Bus Drivers Union’s (BUDU) president, said: “I am hoping we are going to have a smooth transition with what we are facing right now. We are trying to see if we can meet with the minister (Renward Wells, minister for transport), to see what is required moving forward.

“A lot of the drivers, even though they are opening up July 1, are looking for some leeway seeing how they have been off the road for so long.” Mr Taylor is appealing to the government to give drivers up to two months to license their vehicles following the return to work, given that many have not been on the roads earning a living for close to three months.

“They are excited to be able to go back on the road because they would have back bills and future bills coming. So they are happy to go back to work to be the men and women they are to be able to be, and take care of their families,” he added.

“I expect for us to have protocols in place. Face masks, of course, will be fully enforced. Sanitisers as well. Where the driver is, we may be able to put something where the driver is situated, but this is something that is still up in the air because the busses would be open and there would be ventilation. It would not be like the air conditioning is on.”

Mr Taylor argued that jitneys do not need security guards, adding: “Bahamians understand the situation we are all in, and I think they would abide by the rules and regulations. Ww will have signage as well, and those who are not dressed appropriately would not enter the bus. We will not put our drivers and passengers at risk.”

Harrison Moxey, the United Public Transportation Company’s (UPTC) president, told Tribune Business: “We imagine it may be a slow start, and we’ll be looking at having spacing in the vehicles. We’ll be watching the bookings for tourism to see what that would mean also and, as hotel bookings increase, what potential increase in movement that can be for us as people return to work.

“There are a lot of things predicated on the hotel staffing, which is going to necessitate people being rehired and having to get to work and moving about, and probably have more money to do more shopping. So increased movement, that would be better for us.”

“It’s a wait and see process, and we would take every precaution with masks, gloves and the handling of fares. We are looking into plexiglas protection for the drivers.”

While placing security guards on jitneys is a consideration, Mr Moxey said this would come with an extra cost. He added: “We looked at that in conjunction with seeimg if people would use the wipes and the sanitising stations at the door that we’re trying to put there. We’re trying to get them. That is a scarcity right now, so we’re looking at that.”

“Not knowing what it’s going to be, we’ll see how affordable it [security guards] is because extra manpower is going to mean an extra cost. Everybody is down right now, and it has been three-and-a-half months with absolutely no income from the bussing itself.

“You would have to couple that with the licensing and inspection and everything that has to be done. You know the extension we have until the end of July, and even at the end of July we are still going to be facing that challenge.”

“So there are a lot of variables and a lot of negative things we are coming against. It is not going to be easy, but we will have to be resilient and work with it to make the transition as smooth as possible as we go along.”