THOUSANDS of commuters were left frustrated yesterday as they were either stranded or faced challenges getting to work and school on the first day of “rest and reflection” action by most of the country’s 5,000 maxi-taxi operators.
Many also complained about waiting for extended periods at bus stops, and increased transportation costs from PH drivers as they scrambled to find alternative means of travel.
STRANDED: Commuters wait for a maxi along the bus route, Curepe, yesterday.
—Photo: ISHMAEL SALANDY
Commuters in Curepe, Arima and other parts other East-West corridor, as well as Chaguanas and San Fernando, were affected.
Some workers told the Express they had to leave their homes much earlier than usual, while others arrived late for work after spending hours trying to secure transportation.
Some never made it to work.
LONG LINES: Commuters wait for a maxi along the bus route, in Curepe yesterday.
:—Photo: ISHMAEL SALANDY
At several major transit hubs including Curepe Junction and Tunapuna near the market, commuters lined the side of the westbound lane of the Priority Bus Route (PBR) waiting for buses.
A number of people sought short drops and lifts from anyone they knew with a vehicle.
Several commuters expressed concern about the financial burden caused by the strike, noting that hiring taxis or using ride-sharing services was significantly more expensive than their normal maxi-taxi fares.
The Express spoke to stranded commuters who had been waiting from as early as 5 a.m. for a maxi.
Cassandra Armstrong was standing along the PBR in Tunapuna and said that she usually uses a maxi-taxi to get to her job in Macoya.
Around 8 a.m. yesterday she said she was waiting on a co-worker to pick her up to get to her job.
LOOKING DOWN: An overhead view of the City Gate Transport Hub yesterday in this photo captured at10.23 a.m. Usually dozens of maxi-taxis would have been parked and awaiting passengers.
:—Photo: JERMAINE CRUICKSHANK
Another man said he walked from Macoya to the Tunapuna Market near the PBR to see if he could get a maxi-taxi there as there were none coming for him.
“It is almost two hours I have been waiting but I was able to call in to work and tell them that I just cannot come in today,” he said.
At Curepe Junction, one woman was seen clutching her daughter’s hand and looking on anxiously as filled PTSC buses and empty maxi-taxis passed her.
WAITING FOR TRANSPORT: Students make themselves comfortable on their lunch kits yesterday as they await transportation at the City Gate Transit Hub in Port of Spain.:—Photo: JERMAINE CRUICKSHANK
“They doh care about people children at all. Look at what they putting me through,” she said.
Another woman who didn’t want to give her name said that on Sunday night after hearing about the planned “rest and reflection”, she would have used a ride share app to get to work but it appeared that many, many others had the same idea and yesterday morning there were simply no drivers available.
“Whole morning. Nothing at all you know…nothing,” she said.
BOARDING THE BUS: Relieved passengers board a Port of Spain-bound bus at the Arima Bus Terminal, following the first day of a three-day maxi-taxi strike by drivers across T&T. —Photo: JERMAINE CRUICKSHANK
People also looked on at filled PTSC buses.
“When last you see bus full so,” said a man as he looked on at the faces of weary-looking commuters.
Maxi-taxi drivers with their empty vehicles were seen speeding through Curepe Junction.
“Look at them. They just torturing people now,” said one woman as she looked on the maxis.
Another man was seen hustling passengers telling them $20 a head to get to Tunapuna and a little more if one wanted to go beyond.
“It is a hustle out here. Money hadda make,” said the driver who usually operates on the Curepe to Maracas Valley, St Joseph taxi stand.
