ZR and minibus drivers have been reminded of the need for order and efficiency when providing their daily service.Rector of Christ Church Parish Church, Reverend Austin Carrington, speaking at the Barbados Transport Board’s (BTB) 55th anniversary service yesterday, said although they provided an essential service, it was important to encourage passengers to stand at the designated bus stops.Carrington said too often the time on the road was lost and efficiency compromised. He said not only was it the law to stop at bus stops, but those who stopped for people standing at corners and at the top of gaps often wasted time for other passengers on the route waited to be picked up.He spoke of an incident the previous day where he witnessed a ZR driver causing a back-up in traffic while waiting for a woman “walking coming up the gap”. “Most of the vehicles stop six and seven times in less than a mile . . . but it makes good sense to have a common collection point where there is less stopping on the road,” he notedIn congratulating the Transport Board, Carrington said it contributed to the country’s development by moving thousands of people every day.Touching briefly on some of the services the Board offered like the scenic rides, he recalled earlier years when Barbadians often came out on Sunday afternoons dressed fashionably to take bus rides across the country.“It is important that Barbadians get to know their country and not leave it up to the tourists,” he said.Minister of Public Works and Transport John Boyce said it was fundamental that the Board provided a reliable transport service since it had 292 buses and over 900 employees on its payroll.Boyce credited the board for having workers who possessed the talents to function in “normal times and in times of crisis”.He also noted employees were being currently trained in information technology, fire safety techniques and other areas that would help to build self-confidence. (CT)
