In other news, today is the last day you'll be seeing Serrano's Bus Line on the road. That's because the transport board has decided not to renew their license. You've heard from some of the residents who use his buses daily. They're not happy with the change, especially since his replacement, Central Transit, doesn't go as far back as the Japan and Milpa areas of Ladyville.
But while many have rallied behind Serrano's, there are some who say, good riddance. One of those people is Bert Ramos, the owner of the once popular Ramos Bus Line. Ramos too was run off the road almost a decade ago to make room for Serrano's. And what's more is that Ramos says he's the first one who ventured into the deeper area of Ladyville.
Now, he says, he already got his "lick," it's time for Serrano's to take one too.
Bert Ramos, Owner, Ramos Bus Service
"When I get into the business, I realize that we used to have a lot of passengers coming out of Ladyville so right away I decide to put a bus to run behind Ladyville to see the development, see if it would work out, and after a while, when the run start to build and everything going alright, I decide to buy two buses, I'm the one who started it."
"I applied for the run, I was up and down at that time Minister Bev, up and down to Bev and tell her that this run from behind Japan and this area looks profitable so if I could get a permit, a recommendation to get a permit, and she denied me."
"One day I see the vehicle from transport department following me up and down, so I go in, it's behind me, so I come out, it's behind me. So I stop one day and I say what's the problem, why are you following me? They said, we're just checking something. By the weekend, the same transport officer came to me and said Monday you can't go back on the road through Ladyville. I said, why, nobody is doing that run. He said you don't have a permit for it, I said, nobody have a permit for it. They said, if we meet you through there again we will arrest you. I said, let me try to make some calls and see what will happen. I made some calls and when I get the information that Minister Bev at that time signed a letter for Mr Serrano to take over the run."
"So I think that in all fairness, Serrano should come off the road. Like I was taken off the road, they took off Haylock, somebody else turn then, I don't think he should be growling because the same knife that stabs sheep, stab goat, and like I said, it stab pig now."
Courtney Menzies:
"What do you think of Central Transit, because people are saying it's owned by someone who is connected to the area rep?"
Bert Ramos, Owner, Ramos Bus Service
"Well, I will be honest with you, if it's owned by someone connected to the area rep then it's just this person have to uplift himself. They're saying this thing is politics and indeed it's politics, when I got it, I got it through Melvin Hulse. You remember Novelo's had the run and I got it through Melvin Hulse."
"If a next person will take over then let it go on."
And according to the Minister of Transport, there were plenty of complaints against Serrano's, which is why the permit is not being renewed. We asked Ramos if he'd heard any of these complaints.
Bert Ramos, Owner, Ramos Bus Service
"Sometimes those people lives are in danger. I'm telling you, sometimes Serrano drivers are overtaking on curves, many times, many times they wait on the other bus company to come, either Ramos or Haylock, and when the Ramos or Haylock reach by the Green Jade area, we would reach by the junction going to the BDF camp, then they will move off from by Green Jade and they will scrape all the passengers, and that's still happening up to now."
"I had a video that my conductor sat down by where his bus comes out and when Mr Serrano saw my conductor out there sitting, he attacked the conductor and sprayed her with water. Disrespected a woman. We took it to the police and he was so sweet with everybody that the police didn't do anything."
Minister Ferguson has said that another bus line will have to pick up the run, presumably the politically favored Central Transit.
