MINI-BUS touting is a very lucrative business. So say several young men who work as “touts” at the various mini-bus parks in the city, moreso the Route 44 park.These enterprising, well-dressed guys have a lot of smooth talk and can coerce almost anyone to enter a bus of their choice while “doing their thing” of filling buses.

This newspaper recently spoke to several of the men — most of whom are approachable — and they said for one day they could make $10,000 or more depending on passenger-traffic.

The men said that they operate on a turn system and sometimes work together, since there are about 100 mini-buses that ply the Melanie/Victoria/Ann’s Grove route on a daily basis.”
A young man sporting a neat, corn-row hairstyle said, “Because I am a “tout,” people look down on me as if I am nobody, but that’s life. Touting is a part-time job for me, because I am a cash-crop farmer during the day and at nights I come out to the bus park and hustle.”

He explained that with a child to support he decided to have a “side hustle” and he makes a “small-piece” which keeps him afloat until his greens are harvested and sold.

This well-spoken young man told this publication that he used to be a gold-miner, but quit after some difficulties and has to make ends meet somehow and by legal means.

He added that they have the cell numbers for some bus drivers and when there is a crowd of passengers at the bus park, they would inform those drivers and in return get a “raise” in addition to filling a bus at a cost of $200 each.

Another young man told this newspaper that being out there at nights is dangerous, because they would encounter thieves (pickpockets) who would lurk around the Route 44 bus park to snatch unsuspecting passengers’ cell phones.
“We don’t condone that kind of behaviour here at this park, because the police usually blame us and we don’t want a run-in with the cops, so we would look over the place,” a spritely young man said.
The group noted that the members number about eight to 10 of them at that bus park and they assist the conductors and drivers to fill the buses. The men said in unison that they really don’t have a problem, because they get along with each other and they have an understanding. There is no turf problem there, since they are all hustling to make some money.

When asked why they did not want regular jobs with a company or a security firm, the men said that they could not be held to a 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. job like most working people. Touting was just like any other job.

They opined that the job was a very aggressive one and they were on their feet all the time which could be taxing on their health.
One pointed out that they were out there from early in the mornings to late at nights and they have become accustomed to it despite the negative things people would say.

Touts operate at many bus parks in the city and have come in for a lot of criticisms, ranging from their unkempt appearance and the way they behave, holding onto passengers while taking their bags and demanding they enter a bus they are filling.