Bus Service Experiencing Delays & Cancellations
The Department of Public Transportation said they are “currently experiencing some minor disruption in bus service and ticket office service,” including cancellations of some bus runs.
“As a result of increased absenteeism due to illnesses, long term medical leave, training and vacations the Department of Public Transportation is currently experiencing some delays and cancellations of bus runs,” explained the Director of Public Transportation, Mr. Dan Simmons.
“It is not clear how great an impact this will have on bus service in the coming weeks as it will vary daily based on the level of absenteeism however, we do anticipate a less reliable schedule.”
A spokesperson said, “Recognizing that this is not a preferable situation for the island’s main public transportation provider, the Department of Public Transportation management would like to apologise for any inconvenience this disruption may cause.
“The DPT advises passengers to expect some delays and catch the first bus that comes along that will get them to their destination and not wait for a preferred route or bus operator, as some passengers have been known to do.
“DPT will continue to keep the public updated on service levels and sincerely appreciate the public’s patience and understanding at this time.”
Amazing.
How one industry has set a par for the course for 50 years.
Illness
Long term medical leave
Vacations
Training.
Dan is not The Man.
I need a rum.
Didn’t know there were so much Conservative Republican Tea Party fans in Bermuda.
Reaganism and Thatcherism.
and it’s called the PLP.
Well spotted Mockingjay
Never heard of P.L.P trying to bust the Union.
Next
Illness
Long term medical leave
Vacations
Training.
Uh huh.
Another strong argument for privatization??? We are all now being inconvienced because of, illnesses ( unused sick days I assume??) , LONG term medical leave, training and VACATIONS??? You have to give it to the union workers??? They sure know how to max their benefits don’t they???
This is ridiculous. And while you have busses that aren’t on road please fumigate them the roaches on evey bus old and new is disgusting and a total embarrassment to Bermuda
this problem is going to go on for weeks???? and no one saw this coming???
Perhaps some of those Reefs workers can be trained and used as “On Call Drivers” for whenever there is a shortfall.
Where is Ronald Reagan when we need him?
When you have weeks and weeks of sick time and it’s really cold out….why not use them? The tourists and locals alike can wait. You guys need your rest.
Privatize buses, privatize ferries, too much money is wasted, let people who can’t afford to lose run them.
Sounds like either the management mis-managed or the workers are abusing the system.
Time for privatization already to provide a better managed and operating service.
For those workers who are genuinely ill, I hope you get well soon. For those that had vacation approved ahead of time have a great vacation. For any others…shame on you. For the management, I think you need to manage better and inform the public what routes will or will not be happening.
Every Industrial issue for the next year is all part of the plan.
Who and whom hold the folder with the plan I will leave to you.
If they don’t get what they want even though the money is not there but some has been invested to secure returns on it for the Americas Cup the nay sayers will get a bite in the a**.
Mark my words. Copy and paste this to an app/file et al.
Gives a new meaning and it will to “Hostage Crisis”.
Screw it. Um ottah hair.
Dislike all you want. I just bought 40 acres in Barbados. I think that’s in the Carribean next to Bermuda.
Shalom.
@terry, charllyX below confirmed exactly what you said!!!!
Where does one apply to be a bus driver?
I wonder how many of you even catch a bus ! And ahh would you ever even stop to give a stranger a lift from a bus stop ! ?????
Austerity measures ! No overtime n don’t hire any more staff ! I guess we should hire oba supporters to drive them and we won’t have a problem !?!? LMAOWTFOL! ! !
Sitting at home using one of your 70 days a year, are you?
I would and will gladly pick up anyone sitting at a bus stop knowing the bus was not coming as would most of us.
You’d think with all the overemployment in government departments some of these people would be moved to understaffed areas.
Well, here we go again,same s***-different-day
Why can’t this be changed? The union will have to accept it if the public services become private.
I don’t mean they would have to / need to fire all employees but they would certainly need to adjust them. Far too much of this crap has been happening for far too long!
If we can’t keep up with the schedule in the winter what chance do we have in the summer ?
privatization is required for Bermuda’s Bus Service.
far too many lazy people that think they cannot be FIRED in Bermuda.
I actually heard that there will be 16-19 rosters cancelled and Government does not want to pay overtime to those who can fill in. Guess I can’t blame them when they don’t have the funds but people like me who catch the bus feel it the most. Its a good thing public school is out this week. Hopefully it will be back to normal by next week but shame on them for not letting us know which routes will be affected.
This is just the beginng,wait till the budget comes out this Friday.
Sorry that you have to suffer Maybelle but are you part of the reason that we are in the financial mess that we are in? Who did you vote for prior to 2012?
Shame on the bus drivers. I don’t believe for one minute that all of those who claim to be sick actually are. Shame on the manngement too. How much of this is due to your incompetence.
Privatise the public transport system. I’ll bet the mini buses could take up the slack & between them run the buses themselves.
Well you can’t carry forward all 14 weeks “sick” leave. They gotta use them up.
And then, when the trash lies stinking on the roadside, you blame the Minister and complain about furloughs. Right?
I hope you’re all happy hurting your own people. Should all be ashamed of yourselves! Some people rely on this service. Can’t rely on you though!!
I guess this sort of thing happens each and every single day of the year huh? Each and every day. Please. There is this little bit of a perfect storm in logistics and everyone is going frantic. Man what a spoiled bunch we can be. Relax people. Our unique pink bus system and the fast ferries (that were once ridiculed by the then Opposition during the last administration) are still an envy to most jurisdictions and are very much appreciated even with the tourists. I found them still to be quite efficient when I use them. Get a grip and stop all of this whining, goodness.
What’s unique about Bermuda’s buses?
That the operators only have to work half the year?
You don’t get out much & use privately run public transportation very often do you?
Bermuda public transport is unique alright, & not because the buses are pink. Nowhere else would they be permitted to go out on wildcat strike after wildcat strike with impunity.
You mean the fast ferries that we cant afford to operate at full throttle because of how much fuel they consume. They are a nice design and they are comfortable. However, they should have used slower, more efficient and reliable engines.
Privatization
Uber taxi. Forget the busses and ferries, I’m sure there are a lot of taxi drivers looking to make money this time of year, unfortunately we will still have to pay for the government transportation system because they can’t let people go.
Fire the employees and privatize the bus service. Clearly they don’t appriciate their jobs and there are plenty of others who are in need of a job.
Again government stop allowing vacation days to carry over.. this is one of the problems
I got from an actual bus driver this evening that things are getting REAL bad on this island for so many reasons but he was talking specifically about PTB. He said they (the drivers) were told this afternoon by management of the bus shortages and that people will just have to make due. He said they are not willing to call people in for overtime or even straight pay. He said there are drivers that actually want to work but government just don’t want to pay! So, who ends up suffering? Us, the tax payers that put them in that position! Lord help this island!
The Civil Service are quite entitled not to pay overtime. It is the job of PTB management to ensure sufficient numbers of staff and operable buses. That’s their job. They can’t just throw their hands up and cry that all their staff are off sick or on vacation, it’s their job to MANAGE the situation.
Perhaps if the selfish civil srevants had agreed to one furlong day a month, then none of this would happen. But as we know, the whole brunt of this financial problem has to be born by the private sector – while civil servants eat from the trough and get fat. And complain when they don’t get overtime. Talk about spoiled brats!
@ Ed Case have you lost your mind? SELFISH??!! Just for your information WE DID agree to furlough days for 2 years!! That 2 years is up. Question…what was your contribution to help with the financial problem? Since when did the brunt fall on the private sector? The financial problem has fell right at the feet of 5000 civil servants!! And can you please tell me where this trough is because I surely haven’t eaten from it! And I take offense to being called a spoiled brat. When you can show me YOUR SACRIFICE then maybe I can begin to listen to your foolishness!!!
And now you’re taking so-called sick days left right and centre. You get 70 days sick a year, 6+ weeks vacation, and you act like your jobs are owed to you.
“Since when did the brunt fall on the private sector”? Are you kidding? The private sector lost 5-6,000 jobs. Most of us have seen our benefits and salaries reduced. Most of us are wondering whether our jobs are safe. All of us know we can be fired at any time, if we’re not doing a useful job. And if I don’t use my 10 days sick a year, I don’t get to carry it over.
You’re not just selfish, you’re a bunch of whining spoiled babies, sitting at home using up your 70 sick days and 33 vacation days a year, all paid for by the rest of us.
@serengetiperson Where do you come up with these numbers? Who gets 70 sick days a year? Who carries over sick days? If you don’t use up your vacation days at your place of employment are they taken from you? 33 vacation days per year is for someone that has been employed in Gov’t for 25 years and over!!! 70 sick days is for someone employed over 4 years and it is broken up as certified/uncertified, disability and other things if I am correct. If you are going to post numbers then post everything. Don’t pick out pieces to justify your rant! It sounds to me as if you want the same benefits. There are so many bloggers on here that act like we should feel guilty for being employed by the Government!! Apply for a government job, they are posted weekly online. I can be on your level and call you some childish names as well but I will bid you a good day!
So you ask me where I got these numbers from, and then you admit that 70 days a year is correct.
This is basic sick leave. It’s not for long term disability. This is sick leave.
Every numerical number you gave in regards to sick and vacation days is not true. As a matter of fact, you stated that you have 10 sick days per year. I am a government worker and I get 8…so you actually are in a better position in that aspect. And, I cannot carry it over.
Bus workers are in the BIU, right?
Under the BIU agreement the max sick leave is 14 weeks. They can accrue up to 100 days sick leave, which can be added to the current year.
BIU vacation is up to 34 days.
Oh, and if you’re sick while on vacation, that counts as sick leave. Of course, why not.
Accruing up to 100 days and being able to carry them over?
Surely that can’t be true?
Schedule 3, Item 5.
Wow!
That is absolutely insane and unsustainable.
No wonder the SAGE report highlighted that sick days taken by the public service cost the taxpayer approximately $10mn a year!
Anyone that argues that is acceptable and normal does not live or work in the real world.
Griz: in 2011, my full time job became 2/3 time. in 2012, it became 1/2 time. In 2013 it became less than 1/2 time. So instead of moaning, I realized I work in the private sector and got myself another job – got off my backside and had to sell my skills day after day to get this job. It is full time but no raises, no bonuses, no commission, no overtime and none on the distant horizon. If I’d worked for government I wouldn’t have had any of that – I’d just have to have a day off per month. So you asked wht my sacrifice was and I told you.
I expect you will still complain like a spoiled brat though. Such is the case of the Spashul Government workers who leech off the rest of us.
@Ed Case that you for the sob story. At the end of the day you still continue to call me a spoiled brat. I don’t know if Ed Case is your real name but mine is Grejai Smith and I am gonna tell you again leave the name calling for children. Grow up man!
@Grizz The question is have you lost your mind? You all are being selfish as well????? My contribution to this for the last 5 years is a lost of 20 hours each month in the Retail Sector and no cost of living increase for the last 4 years, just a shrinking pay check. All I hear is that your 2 years is up so what happened to the rest, to me that still is not enough of a sacrifice. One would believe that saving someone from being laid off and keeping a job would benefit all but I guess not. Talk about foolishness!! All that the government is asking for is 1 DAY PER MONTH.I can’t believe this Bulls*** I hearing. You know that is all being staged by the union and their supporters:-(
Okay Clara while the furlough day may not be much to you it has crippled others. I have made my sacrifice and if you want to say I am selfish for not wanting to continue then you are welcome to your opinion. You do realise that on top of our furlough day we haven’t received a wage increase or cost of living increase for 4 years, yet the taxes and deductions still rise so actually we have taken the furlough day along with a pay cut. I am of the opinion that people think civil servants received increases….we didn’t. It’s BS to you….to me it’s REALITY! Please look at the bigger picture.
Civil servants get upgraded through the grade they’re in, and through the grades, every year. That’s how you get around getting pay increases. The pay freeze is irrelevant. I bet there are hardly any civil servants who don’t earn more than they did when the PLP instituted the so-called pay freeze.
@creamy Civil Servants are not AUTOMATICALLY upgraded to the next grade. If you are not up to par your Manager has the right to keep you at your current pay grade.
Right.
How many civil servants are earning the same now as when the mythical ‘pay freeze’ was put in pace?
Creamy is right. You talk about a pay freeze and use it to suggest no-one gets pay increases, but they do.
Wow that’s incompetent.
All these illnesses and absentees all at once? And they refuse to take furlough but take ‘sick’ days whenever..smh
I bet it relates to half term. Kids out of school, parents need to cover. Guess what half term happens alot, so mgt should work with drivers to ensure service is maintained. Drivers need to ensure that their kids are in camps or have other parents/family covering their kids, if they are due to work.
The Dept needs to work with customs to identify any sick leave takers who go on vacation overseas. Unacceptable.
Bermuda will look like Boston this week before that happens. One union checking up on another??? Never going to happen.
NO overtime. OBA keep to it and get us all out of the hole we are in.
Surely there are some other one armed people around who can drive a bus!!!
Bermuda – the only one armed fleet of bus driver’s in the world!!!
(In case you miss the point – look at them now and then – they only use one arm!!!)
Funny how just about everyone here is crying for privatization, but then if you get what you want you will then all be crying about privatization prices.. But then most of the people crying do not even catch the bus……. A lot of the crying going here is 100% based on assumptions & a lot of imagination between the lines. Unless you have solid facts that this situation is due to abuse of sick leave or laziness as stated in the comments above then the foundation of your arguments does not look to be too solid. Any extended paid medical leave is to be validated by a medical slip so unless we have countless doctors selling bogus medical slips out the back door I doubt the “long term medical leave” people are slipping by without validation… The department is trying to strengthen up the staff numbers through training so why cry about that? EVERY last one of you take vacation so you cannot expect bus drivers not to take vacation days as well…. Lastly, with the situation of the staff numbers being thin any driver being sick will affect the already small numbers. Now the real question is, if you have staff ready to step up & fill in the blanks to keep all the routes going thus generating revenue by actually being able to pick up the otherwise last fares then what is the problem? So collecting a little of something instead of nothing at all only applies to the government employees but not the actual government huh?? To stop any further assumption let me inform you that NO I am not a bus driver neither do I have anything to do with government.
People are crying for privatization only because we are not getting value for service, fool! I would rather pay a bit more and know that bus is coming then to pay less and wonder if it is coming at all! I have had my young son stuck at school without a ride home because they decided the union called a strike. Many people here know of others that were left without a ride because they decided to strike or “have an emergency meeting”.
We have had enough of paying for people that won’t work and take advantage of the system.
Sick days are to be used by the rest of us when we are sick, not because we don’t feel like going to work today?
I would love to see the statistics for sick days used by Bus drivers versus, other Civil Servants, versus the private sector.
I know three people that work in the civil service and they get “sick” often and use up all their sick days. Thank goodness they don’t have any more sick days because I’m sure they would be sick more often and I wouldn’t want that.
“I would love to see the statistics for sick days used by Bus drivers versus, other Civil Servants, versus the private sector.”
If you take a look at the SAGE report, some of those stats are in there.
I was on a bus one time, and a passenger was standing behind the driver sneezing and hacking. People forget that bus drivers come into contact with hundreds of passengers, along with their countless germs. I guess they’re supposed to have immune systems made of steel, just like all the posters here who NEVER get sick. Oh yeah, I forgot you all go work sick and spread your nasty germs to the rest of us!!!
A cold…of course you go to work…The only reason not to go to work is when you are unable to do your job.
Of course, no one in the private sector with our 10 days sick a year ever comes into contact with someone sneezing. Only public employees do that. Of course, why didn’t I think of that.
So how do you think they compare with airline pilots for sick days? They are in a sealed tube for hours at a time.
There are solid facts. You just don’t want to face them. They have 70 days sick leave a year, and they use them. That’s ridiculous, amd it’s a fact.
The dislikes are from fools who don’t want to face facts.
Who are these civil servants? Here is what I get, as a civil servant….
19 days paid vacation per year
8 uncertified sick days per year
5 weeks long-term disability (in case of injury, surgery, etc.)
The BPSU sick leave entitlements are:
Less than 2 years service: 5 weeks sick leave a year.
2-4 years: 6 weeks sick leave a year
Over 4 years: 14 weeks sick leave a year.
I know about the 8 days uncertified. Like that matters. Getting certified is a small inconvenience relative to the extra weeks of paid leave it gets you.
Are you kidding me????????? 10 days is all the rest of us get per year. What is not used is lost.
You really don’t understand, or maybe even want to understand how privatisation works with public services do you?
Privatisation will still cost the taxpayer. It will still cost Government but it won’t cost Government nearly as much to the inefficient, incompetent PTB that we have today. All of those rediculous vacation allowances & sick allowances that have been given out under the PLP Minister will be gone.
Farewise the public won’t see much of a difference. In reliability of service & attitude in how the service is delivered there would be a huge difference.
I know you get a bunch of variables when it comes to a public service like public transport but I actually give high marks to Bermuda’s bus system. It’s pretty much on time and the service is quick.
But this is ridiculous. Bermuda is heading down a terrible slide and it’s been led by public service workers. I’m all for workers rights, I truly am, but if we don’t get this labour situation fixed, Bermuda will suffer more than what it is right now.
Simple. Replace em with people who wanna work.
But it’s not simple as that, is it? I agree with the sentiment, but the Union will be all over that like a bad rash. It should be as simple as applying the terms of agreement with regards to performance, taking of sick days etc, but I know for a fact that they are not. In the section I worked in, any attempt by a line manager to include poor performance in an annual review led to the employee crying straight to the Union, who would then go over the head of the line manager straight to the PS (or Minister under the previous administration), and thus no action was ever taken.
Crazy, and all while there are other Bermudians who were able and qualified to do the job for which the underperformer was being exceedingly well paid.
NO! Surely that cannot be so!!! That would be very corrupt & we know that PLP Ministers, especially the past Transport & Tourism Minister, was squeaky clean.
Said so himself. Nobody could ever pin any corruption on him.
Can we fix the problem no and all of u that think they care? be aware to many signs roads and bad lighting , people being laid off, hotels , ect. And I just got one eye image if I had two
Subcontract the mini buses ! its a start ?
Shut the whole thing down and private initiative will sort out the rest.
Privatize
Seems like this department has had major Management problems since DEB was Transport minister, and Terry Lister, I do recall that there were major problems back then and they continue to be a lack of Management ability to run the department affectively.. albeit, this is flu season and its best not to have busdrivers sneezing around the public, however a back up plan should always be available and seems that they have not figured it out. What about the guy that was being paid millions for a new schedule???? where are all the improvement plans since ten years ago??? the furlouhg days did not help this department, which is essential service, overtime would eat up this budget due to furlough days this was not considered when agreeing to furlough days so again MANAGEMENT and not workers are responsible for this charade, also Union should have thought about the problems associated with certain departments that are essential services, furlough days would not benefit due to overtime pay for sick, vacation, misc(l.o.a.)and furloughs on top of all of that for this type of job.. not enough thought being put into running these departments, easy to deflect to workers when real problem is with decision makers.
I bet many here have never or rarely used the bus system. Well I have and in my experience they have been reliable and on time. Go to any bus or ferry depot and 99% of the time they leave on time right on the minute. Stop all of this crying and exploiting this situation. For the majority of the year you hear nothing about the buses why? Because the job is being done! Has it ever occurred to you that during cold and flu season drivers would be MORE susceptible to catching a bug from the public?? The haters on this board will shamelessly use any opportunity to vilify every civil servant. Smh!
That’s because our civil servants are in reality, living off us and not doing their jobs – and can’t be fired, and won’t take furlong days. In a private business, if you lose money you reduce jobs or go out of business – like the Reefs. In Government you call in sick, don’t do work and you get to keep your job. Yes, it is just a matter of time – they will lose their jobs all at once when it comes crashing down – and then they’ll wish they’d taken a furlong day.
We use it and it has NOT been reliable. School children are being stranded some as young as 7 years old.
Privatize
I don’t mean to criticize bernews as you guys do a great job but…..
cant you ask the following questions
1. How many drivers do you normally need on an average day?
2. how many do you have available?
3. Out of the ones that are NOT available how many are out sick, long medical leave, etc etc
4. How long will this continue for?
It’s amazing to see how quick people jump on the workers when it is the job of management to manage the staff. You really think they haven’t had people on vacation, long term sick,out sick and training all this time? Well they have and it’s been getting covered. Some people will buy into anything. Let’s pay attention to what’s really going on. Government has cut hiring as well as cut the ability for them to cover work. Not to mention that they allow drivers to drive busses that are not on the road just to get the job done since there is such a large bus shortage(Wish I could drive my car and get away with it). Think about it, given that ptb is already short staffed how do you really expect all the work to be covere?
This is totally unacceptable. 10 sick days a year; you don’t carry them over. You can only carry over 5 days of vacation, maximum if you don’t use them you lose them. Vacation days are a request and approval so you know in advance…….what is the issue with scheduling? Long term illness; they provide a doctor note so plan accordingly. Someone is not doing their job and we pay taxes for this? Hold the people managing this process accountable. Raise the standard.