BUS DRIVERS BACK TO WORK AFTER WITHDRAWAL OF SERVICES

Report filed by Terry Andrew – Snr. News and Sports Reporter.

Bus drivers who operate from the East Bus Station went back to work this afternoon after having withdrawn their services.

An agreement was hammered out after they hunkered down in talks with officials of the Transport Board.
(FILE FOOTAGE)

Bus operators who are a part of the North East Bus Association comprising about ninety per cent of the drivers at the terminal withdrew their services on Saturday and continued this morning.

They had been up in arms about the extent of the subsidy from the government while they are being required to transport fewer passengers on trips.

The 15-seaters should be carrying 10 and the buses which normally carries 29 will transport 17 passengers.

The measure is in effect during the three weeks of intensified restrictions to curtail the spread of COVID-19.

President of the North East Bus Association Veronica Andrew says the meeting with Transport Board resulted in an agreement to allow bus drivers to purchase fuel at $8.50 cents per gallon at a Service station to be announced later this week.

This will be almost 4 dollars lower than the regular retail price of 12.20 per gallon.

In the interim, it was agreed that the bus drivers would be reimbursed the difference for fuel purchased before that arrangement takes effect, once they present their receipts.

Meanwhile, we spoke earlier with the Transport Board’s Ishorn Caesar, who says the operators should seek to rectify an ongoing area of concern.