Fleet Size Of 105, With 10 Buses Out Of Service
Following the cancellation of some of today’s bus routes, the Department of Public Transportation provided an update, saying that at present there are 10 buses out of service that need “engine rebuilds or new transmissions.”
The DPT noted that the fleet size has shrunk from 123 buses in 2007 to 105 buses today and said the average age of the fleet is 10 years, noting that “as the buses get older, they become more unreliable and breakdown more frequently. ”
“The Department of Public Transportation has today provided an update on the bus fleet, after a significant number of difficulties this week led to some service cancellations,” a spokesperson said.
“The DPT wished to make it clear that the entire service faces the possibility of service cancellation and there are no particular runs preferred for cancellation over others.
“A spokesman pointed out that the fleet size has shrunk from 123 buses in 2007 to 105 buses today. The weighted average age of the fleet is 10 years, while the industry standard is less than seven years.
“The fleet operates 365 days a year, 7 days a week and 18 hours a day. As the buses get older, they become more unreliable and breakdown more frequently. The causes of these breakdowns are varied. They include oil leaks, air system failures, problems with the seats, bells not working, steering issues etc.
“At present, there are 10 buses out of service that need engine rebuilds or new transmissions. These parts have been ordered as soon as these parts arrive this work will begin.
“The last new buses were purchased in 2014 before that 2009. The DPT is hoping to purchase new buses this year but will not see them until the end of the year and early next year.”
“In addition, the DPT made it clear that while early morning information indicated the intention to cancel nine school bus runs, in fact, all the runs to CedarBridge Academy were eventually covered with the re-routing of other buses on the road, although some would have been running behind time.”
Hire some decent mechanics, get the idiot drivers to STOP at the top of Washington
Street to let pedestrians cross, fix the bus wash so they are not an embarrassment to us all, and let’s try and get rid of the entitlement mentality
Just think, if we did not have over $500K to pay in debt service every single day in one week we could be buying 10 new buses easy.
I feel some sympathy towards those innocent drivers and workers that show up for work, try hard and are bullied because their high standards are making others look bad.
I remember 15+ years ago there going to collect freight at the freight shed at the airport and there was a hard working Bermudian (for those of you that care he was black) that outshined every other person that worked there, local or foreign. On several occasions they would refer to him or loudly call him “UBP”. the sad thing was that it appeared that his work standards and desire to simply do a good job was a treat. So instead of simply stepping up their game and doing their job, it was easier for these fork lift operators to belittle him and bring him down by bullying him into lowering his standards.
I’m sure we have good mechanics but the sympathy from the public is gone. Bus drivers and mechanics, for years with your instant strikes you walked off the job and left children and elderly stranded for your own selfish agenda. you went on strike for bus drivers in accidents that refused to take a drug test. You did the same for Ferry Captain that rammed into dock and failed a breathalyzer and blamed it on “bedroom bully” or similar drink. You downed tools for Mr Tweed, and a bunch of other non-PTB related issues. If I remember correctly the PTB workers can claim up to 100 paid sick / vacation days a year and a some use abuse it.
So the way I look at it, DO THE JOB YOU GET PAID FOR – NO MORE, NO LESS! We have been stranded while you di your BS marches. So if all that time off caused you to fall behind and neglect your duties and maintenance, tough. Not my problem, I have been stranded three times…now you should be inconvenienced and work.
Call Chris and tell him you marched for him and tell him now you need help to catch up and see what happens. Sympathy zero.
How bout de money that was sent for new buses and de guy disappeared.
We did not need to spend a 1oooooo dollars on this inquiry
That was racially motivated and bias against blacks
OR over 2000000 with another racially motivated investigation
OR over 400000 for a law firm in boston
But $400,000 a year for 15 years is not a lot of money. Tha wouldn’t influence anything.
Hopefully our mechanics are or did learn something from the tech they bright in from the factory.
gurl you are correct some of the bus drivers don’t care. And you never hear of any of them being caught for spending in the bus. And it’s not because there not speeding.
*speeding
This is obviously a difficult challenge but to hear all busses to Cedarbridge and Berkeley cancelled first thing in the morning definitely sends the wrong message to students.
Whilst grateful that the routes were eventually covered, the damage was already done since people had to scramble to make changes to their normal routine.
Lastly.. the obvious question – where is our priority. There is lots of other spending going on… which indicates that money is not the problem but our priorites!!
The first thing sheeple say is this govt doesn’t care about our kids, as if the current political party cancelled the school bus routes!??
Put another party back in power and the narrative would shift another way. -15 Buses purchased and 25 more coming to replace an “aging fleet.” This new govt really loves our kids and puts Bermudians first. The unionized mechanics can also stay.
So your kid got to ride on a bus to school this semester for free, at the expense of making them financial slaves for the next 40+ years. We like to sweep the fact that buses aren’t free right under the rug, as if spending us into oblivion isn’t what you already did to this country!! And have the nerve to belittle Americans for their last election voting! Smh
One more bus down today(18th March) Crow Lane
Bus V Road construction vehicle
“The weighted average age of the fleet is 10 years”
what are we weighting this by? is this just the average age?