Written By Michel Outridge
PUBLIC transportation woes remain a major concern for the travelling public, particularly the elderly, children and workers on a daily basis.

After a long day of work, for most people who utilise the minibuses, the only thing on their minds is to get home safely.

However, after work one may spend more than an hour at the minibus parks in the city waiting at the pleasure of the minibus operators, and sometimes depending on how popular you are with them.

Persons have complained about the attitude of many minibus operators who behave as though the passengers are asking them a special favour, despite having to pay for the trip.

Recently,there has been a new trend with the minibus operators arbitrarily increasing the fares, especially in the evenings or when they see large groups of commuters waiting on them.

NO DESTINATION SIGN
At the East Bank minibus park, many operators without posting a destination sign on their vehicles just decide that they are not doing any “short drops”, so persons going to destinations along the “short drop” route are left stranded for hours.

For the East Coast Demerara people, it is $200 per person from the city to Victoria with an increase of $80 more.

“TEK A SQUEEZE DEH”
Passengers are left with no choice but to pay up or remain stranded and sometimes it is not even late in the evening when they demand this hike in the fare.

In addition, passengers have to endure the plight of travelling in overloaded minibuses as the conductors call out “tek a squeeze deh.”

It is sad seeing schoolchildren stranded on the road late into the night because some minibuses do not transport them, since their fares are lower than what adults pay.

And it is long overdue that the authorities move to curtail the lawless behaviour of the minibus operators. For far too long we have allowed these people to take advantage of us and I wish the relevant authorities make haste in addressing this problem.