The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I have been relying on the service of the jitney for the better part of 15 years and I must admit that there were many days that I feared for my life just riding on those buses.

And oftentimes than not, senior citizens were being treated without the due respect worthy of the over sixty-ish. The tendency to pull off and not wait until we acquired seating, risking bodily harm increases... I have found that even when I am convinced that I was moving reasonably quickly, actually the desired effect could not be guaranteed... there is daily the struggle to get out of the bed and therefore, prayers to Father God asking Him to grant me the strength-to-get-up-out-of-the-bed, is now a habit and He always grants it.

What am I saying? While some may indicate that age is only a number there are inescapable truths attached, countering that belief or thought processes.

So, management of the Road Traffic Department, we the retired citizens of this Bahamaland, believe that the time is rife for there to be some consideration given to supplying senior citizens with the kind of bus service that would grant to people like me, the necessary time to board and obtain seating before driving off? And I often wonder what were some of the training obtained by drivers? And if you were to complain... they would make the point for you to get off and catch the next bus?

Editor, who are these people? It seemed to me that many of those drivers were in primary school... during the time we senior citizens were manning the tiller (making our contributions), protecting and serving the people of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas... ought to mean something, but does not appear to, why?

While it might appear that I am gripping over nothing, I do believe that in many an instance the way a department goes about finding out the needs of a department and or ministry is by way of complaints...which helps them to fashion programmes, responses to situations occurring within their remit, etc?

Now, earlier today, I was caught stranded at Frederick Street needing a jitney connected to Route #00, along with about fifteen people and right off the bat, a lady being quite upset with the delays, made a comment that I had never heard... and promised her that that would be passed on, here it is thus:

Maybe they need to put a button on the wall, pointing to the stop on Frederick Street north, where the # 00 comes. Further she said, if you need a bus just PRESS the Buzzer? Wow, this would help to revolutionise the industry, I think?

Editor, daily before stepping onto the jitneys, stresses me right out, as I am usually left wondering what kind of ride will this one be? This kind of anticipation is really unfair, especially factoring that I am about to board a public service transportation, regulated by The Bahamas Government - therefore, I should not be having panic attacks of this nature and regarding this service, why?

Another aspect of the headache is the vulgar-rude, without good manners- lyrics for the music they play and could care less about who elderly persons or little children hear and/or were annoyed, that music is for my enjoyment they would constantly say, and if you don’t like it, get the bus behind...you know, they say the bus behind, but often time no bus would be visible-behind?

FRANK GILBERT

Nassau,

October 31, 2022.