Dear Editor,

The complaints against the State-owned Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) are mounting to uncomfortable levels. From unclean, insect-infested, poorly operated routes and disrespectful drivers, to drivers showing favouritism to ‘regulars’, the problems are many.

As early as the buses come out in the mornings, to as late as they retire in the nights, roaches in the early adolescent can be seen playing hide and seek inside the buses. The little pests crawl unto your skin, hair, clothes and bag; frightening the moonshine out of some people. The seats are in need of vacuuming, and the glass, interior and exterior are in need of general cleansing.

Too often the buses are often seen parked on the side of the road taking a break from exhaustion. The company has lost a number of its buses due to fire, this leads to the question of maintenance. The issue of adequately servicing routes is a live one.

Passengers argue that while they wait for extended periods for an available bus, other buses are seen parked in the lay-by — empty — throttling with air conditioning cooling down the insects under the seats.

In all fairness to the JUTC drivers, Jamaican commuters are not the easiest to deal with, but drivers verbally abusing passengers is not acceptable; two wrongs do not make one right. Drivers face off with passengers for not having the exact change, driving too slowly, stopping at every bus stop, forcing passengers in like sardine tins, among others things. A suggestion is to train the drivers who are conductors in customer service and conflict resolution techniques.

Another issue is the loud and lewd music being played on the buses by especially schoolchildren from phones and Bluetooth speakers. The company should issue a ban on loud and lewd music, similar to the ban issued against preaching on the buses.

Please, JUTC, we believe you can do better, keep working at it.

Hezekan Bolton

h_e_z_e@hotmail.com