The Novelo's receivership made its last run last night and today its 318 employees were jobless and thousands of commuters weren't quite sure what to do. To be sure, the collapse of the national bus carrier threatens the economic and social stability of the entire country and this morning the Ministry of Transport activated its contingency plan to make sure that there was no massive disruption of service. This morning at 7, 7NEWS was at the hub of all bus movements at the Pound Yard Bridge to see how that plan was working.
Jules Vasquez Reporting,
This sign scrawled unto the back of a used manila envelope said it all "no bus running form this terminal this terminal, north south east nor west, ok?" Crudely done, but perhaps a fitting epitaph for a bus service that had outlived its useful life. And while the building still towers over West Canal, the gate was locked and the yard empty. While employees meddled with the locked gate to try and get out, employees with nothing to do still showed up for work.
The men doing their jobs today were transport officers who set up an impromptu terminal at the Pound Yard Bridge, watching many, many wheels go by as a throng of buses of all colors rolled in carrying a diverse collection of little seen names, Chell's, Mcfadzean's, Waight's Humes...a long list of gap fillers glad for the business. Senior Transport Officer Tirso Galvez was the man in charge of all movements to and from the city. This schedule in his hand was the blueprint for operations and the terminal was basically this truck and the loud speaker on top was the information booth.
And when he gave the cue, anxious passengers queued up for that western bus. In fact the driver couldn't change the sign fast enough for passengers to board even a backpacking tourists figured out the confusion. And the system in place here was pretty much what happened countrywide.
Glenn Tillett, Ministry of Transport
"We have our transport officers posted at the main points and part of their job is to direct people to the buses that are available so they can get to work."
And while there were delays, uncertainty and confusion, there was a semblance of order and function.
Glenn Tillett,
"Jules I have my fingers and toes crossed right now but it seems to be going well, our reports are that things are not exactly smooth but people are getting to work."
So as long as you listen for the megaphone cues like these, you should be able to make your bus. But how long will this inadequate, makeshift system have to be used?
Glenn Tillett,
"Jules I have no crystal ball but I think that once we see how the present arrangements work, we'll either continue with them or we will make adjustments as we go along but we are determined throughout all this that our number one priority is that people get to work, that people can move from point A to point B, and we will continue with that commitment."
