Jack Thompson, Road Traffic Controller, revealed the depth of the problem in a recent press conference. He told the media that more bus drivers are getting away with traffic infractions.
“What I have noticed is that very few persons are willing to come to court,” said Mr Thompson. “I mean in order for me to take action in due process, I need people to come forward and speak up against bus drivers.
“I just need people to come to us and say that they want to go through with a complaint,” he continued. “The entire community needs to be involved and assist us with these bus drivers who continue to show disrespect to other road users.”
Mr Thompson also urged residents to lodge complaints against delinquent bus drivers.
“[The Road Traffic Department] has a complaints unit, which is on the west side of the Water and Sewage Corporation on Thompson Boulevard,” he explained. “I urge the public to go there and lodge any complaint after which a file is prepared and the case comes before me.”
According to Mr Thompson, every Friday he and the Deputy Controller of Road Traffic, Errol McPhee, hold court to deal with public service drivers.
“We have a number of drivers on suspension and we have already revoked a number of licenses,” he said. “In fact, some of the bus owners and operators are complaining that they can’t find drivers because we are doing what we have to do.”
Sergeant David Lockhart of The Royal Bahamas Police Force Traffic Division, also called for the public to assist officers by lodging complaints.
“Unfortunately, the police can’t be everywhere all the time and like Mr Thompson said, we need members of the public to come forward and give evidence against persons,” said Sgt Lockhart.
But the traffic officer did admit that many complainants are often too afraid to come forward.
“I know sometimes it may pose a scary situation for persons to come [forward] as normal citizens and make a complaint, especially a bus user who normally has to catch the bus,” he said. “Often they are not going to be willing to actually come and give evidence against someone whose bus they may have to ride on again.”
Still, despite the setbacks, Sgt Lockhart insisted that the Traffic Division will remain committed to ridding the country’s streets of hazardous drivers.
“As far as the Traffic Division is concerned, we are reporting persons as much as we possible can, but we are depending on Mr Thompson to continue suspending those drivers who continue to [commit] the same offences every day,” he said.
Meanwhile, Transport officials have recently launched their unified public bus system, in a bid to clean up the country’s jitney services.
Under the proposed plan, the Public Bus System will become one single company governed by one set of rules, rather than being governed by a number of separate entities with their own conflicting individual rules.
By: JASMIN BONIMY, The Nassau Guardian
