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Monday August 27, 2007

Bus firms face driver shortage, warn of Raya crunch

By YENG AI CHUN and ROYCE CHEAH

PENANG: Express bus companies are facing a shortage of drivers, thanks to Ops Bersih.

Some drivers have gone AWOL for fear of being caught by the authorities for various offences, resulting in several bus companies having to cancel trips.

The companies are also saying that if the situation continued, it could affect the coming balik kampung rush for Hari Raya because there might not be enough drivers and buses to meet the surge in demand.

Konsortium Express Penang manager Albert Chew said his company was having problems getting replacement drivers after 20 of its 140 drivers went missing after Ops Bersih started on Aug 22.

Sorry, sir: An attendant telling a customer that all bus tickets for the day have been sold out at Puduraya terminal.
“We have stopped selling bus tickets for the Raya holidays due to the shortage of drivers. The drivers feel that they are being harassed and victimised by the ongoing action.

“They are expecting more checks to be done during the festive period, which is why they don't want to drive,” he said when met at the Sungai Nibong bus terminal yesterday.

The Road Transport Department (JPJ), police, Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board (CLVB), Puspakom and Immigration Department swung into action under Ops Bersih to check on buses and drivers at major stations and along highways following the bus crash which killed 22 near Taiping.

A Gunung Raya Express ticketing officer Abadi Abdul Kadir said 30% of its drivers were affected and he anticipated that between 60% and 70% of bus commuters wanting to balik kampung this Hari Raya would be affected.

He said most journeys were delayed by between two and three hours because of Ops Bersih.

An official of another express bus company said they had to hire “walk-in” drivers looking for jobs to overcome the shortage.

However, Transnasional ticketing officer Yahaya Karim said the company’s operations were not affected and all its buses continued to ply the designated routes.

In Puduraya, KUALA LUMPUR, a tout who was still hawking tickets for destinations in the south said tickets were sold out yesterday because of the end of the school holidays.

It was also learnt that some bus drivers refused to drive to the usual bus terminals or were using trunk roads to avoid the checks.

Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association president Datuk Ashfar Ali said most of the companies affected were those without proper permits.

“They are rogue companies operating illegally, so of course they would be afraid to take their buses out during the ongoing operation,” he said.

As for drivers not turning up for work, he said it was because some of them had already been caught earlier in the operation and were told they could not drive for having outstanding summonses.

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