Dear Claudienne

I find that some JUTC personnel are just plain rude. On Saturday, December 22, 2012 I had the misfortune to ride on a 12A bus. On reaching my stop I attempted to get off using the rear door. On observing that the driver had not opened the door, I called out to him. He just sat there and refused to open the door. Of course I wasn’t too happy about that. I have the number of the bus and the time the incident occurred, but I am not sure if it would be ethical to include this information in the e-mail. This is just one example of the rudeness that passengers endure on a constant basis.

I also believe that the JUTC needs to become more modern. The buses that they use in their fleet have steps that are just too high. Someone who has trouble walking would have a hard time trying to get up those steps. They need to purchase buses that can “kneel” and have ramps that are wheelchair-accessible.

Simply having a bus to transport disabled commuters is just not the way to go. I am sending you an attachment of pictures of buses that the JUTC could consider getting. They should also have a paratransit system that would allow those who simply can’t take the regular buses to use them, the way they do in the US.

What’s so unique about Jamaica that it can’t happen?

Something really needs to be done. I’m not too fond of visiting Jamaica anymore, despite my Jamaican roots ,because of this. And rental cars are way too expensive.

It is my hope that the authorities will look into this very soon.

Thanks for your time.

DS

Dear DS

As you did not send us the particulars about the incident on the bus, we could not ask the JUTC to do an investigation.

Pertaining to your observations about the bus steps being too high etc, Tell Claudienne asked the Corporate Communications Manager of the Jamaica Urban Transit Company Limited (JUTC) to respond.

He responded as follows:

“Please note that the buses which were outlined in the pictures were obviously being operated within the highly developed world, where road conditions are generally ideal, that is, the surfaces are smooth and consistent. This is clearly not the case in Jamaica, where the buses have to endure some very challenging road conditions, which have had to be factored into the make-up of the units that are acquired by the JUTC.

“From huge potholes here and there, to absent sidewalks and ‘soft shoulders’ in many cases, especially in Portmore, the physical challenges on the roads are many.

“Some thoroughfares in sections of upper St Andrew definitely do not allow for such low-riding buses to be operated there without sustaining continuous damage during operation. Similarly, consistent flooding issues, for example, on a section of Mandela Highway and also Marcus Garvey Drive during periods of intense or prolonged rainfall, militate against the safe use of the type of buses which you pointed us to.

“Of significant interest though, in respect of the disabled community, is that it has been recognised by the JUTC that the units that now offer hydraulic lifting of wheelchairs are just as high as the regular buses in the fleet. Hence, a decision was taken last year to source some lower-riding buses for the disabled service, so that that wheelchair-riding passengers can be manually pushed onto and off the special service buses via ramps, instead of them depending on elaborate hydraulic systems that may fail at times, and create further challenges for already challenged commuters.

“Therefore in the not-too-distant-future we will have some lower buses serving the disabled community, but the height adjustment is expected to be limited to that area of the bus service.”

We hope the response of the JUTC puts perspective to some of the issues you raised.

Good luck.

Dear Claudienne

In 2010 I made an application for the refund of withholding tax from the Income Tax Department for the years 2004-2009. I sent them all the required information, but to date there has been no response. I retired from the St Ann Parish Council in 1992 as a pensionable officer. I was informed that after age 60 I was exempted from paying this tax, hence my application for the refund. The tax was taken from my account at one of the commercial banks.

I would be very grateful for your assistance in this matter.

MM

Dear MM

We spoke to the Tax Refunds department about your problem on December 6, 2012, and they promised to do an investigation. When the department located your claim they advised Tell Claudienne that it had not been processed as a result of an oversight. They promised to process it “as soon as possible,” and we have been advised that refund cheques were prepared for you on December 14, 2012.

Good luck.

Have a problem with a store, utility, a company? Telephone 936-9436 or write to: Tell Claudienne c/o Sunday Finance, Jamaica Observer, 40-42 1/2 Beechwood Avenue, Kingston 5; or e-mail: edwardsc@jamaicaobserver.com. Please include a contact phone number.