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Therefore, having an efficient and reliable public transportation system is essential and should be a priority, as its absence would have an adverse impact on labour production and productivity, and by extension, on the national economy.
Public transportation in the United States is a crucial part of the solution to the nation’s economic, energy, and environmental challenges – helping to bring a better quality of life. More and more people are now using public transportation and local communities are expanding public transit services.
Every segment of American society – individuals, families, communities, and businesses – benefits from public transportation; from 1995 through 2012, public transportation ridership increased by 34%—a growth rate higher than the 17% increase in the U.S. population and higher than the 22% growth in the use of the nation’s highways over the same period. Public transportation is a $57 billion industry that employs nearly 400,000 people; more than 7,300 organisations provide public transportation in the United States; 74% of public funding for public transit is spent creating and supporting hundreds of thousands of private sector jobs. (Source: American Public Transportation Association)
These statistics are staggering when one considers that America is the wealthiest country in the world and where almost every family could afford a personal vehicle. But nevertheless, these statistics illustrate how vital is public transportation to any country, dispelling the erroneous notion that public transportation is restricted to only poor and developing countries.
Unfortunately, in our country, we cannot boast of an effective and reliable public transportation system. Consequently, commuters are left to the mercy of rapacious and exploitative minibus operators who form the core of our public transportation system.
But our public transportation system woes did not happen overnight. It began with the myopic and foolish scrapping of our railway system in 1971, when most countries were moving to expand and modernise their railway systems. Today, we are bearing the woeful burden of that foolish action.
Our transportation woes were multiplied and magnified during our long period of economic mismanagement and stagnation which saw a halt in the improvement in road infrastructure and networks. In addition, state-owned transportation collapsed as a result of mismanagement and corruption.
And this paved the way for the entry of minibuses, which initially did bring some degree of relief; but as the economy grew and the number of commuters dramatically increased, the situation has become chaotic. One of the major reasons why the situation has become so chaotic is because comprehensive laws and regulations governing the operations of minibuses were never implemented; and for some mysterious and inexplicable reason, have still not been implemented despite the increasingly chaotic situation.
Minibus operators also realise that commuters have no alternative means of transportation so they exploit the situation by over charging and overloading their vehicles.
In our yesterday’s edition, we reported on the plight of commuters who traverse the East Demerara routes, where minibus operators are demanding a $200-fare, whereas the prescribed fare is $120. But not only commuters from the East Demerara are facing this problem, as commuters from the West Demerara face a similar plight. In Georgetown, where the fare is $60, conductors return a $20 change if they are paid with a $100 bill. Ironically, if they are given the exact $60 they make no fuss.
This rapacious behaviour by minibus operators has been going on for a long time now and surprisingly, the relevant authorities have not taken any measure to stamp it out. Instead, commuters are told to stand up for their rights and some do, while others do not, for fear of verbal and physical assaults from the minibus operators.
It was not so long ago that a passenger on a minibus on the East Coast of Demerara stood up for his rights when he objected to the loud music in the vehicle, and became a victim of a severe physical assault by the conductor, and subsequently died. So it is not that commuters do not want to stand up for their rights, but when they do, they expose themselves to great risk to their limbs and lives.
Sometime ago it was touted to have the operations of minibuses brought under the auspices of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC); but so far there has been no further movement in this direction, for unknown reasons.
The Transport Ministry has also indicated that it is considering the reintroduction of big buses. If these measures are implemented, it would help to alleviate the suffering of many commuters.
