Cheap buses

We have discussed this phenomenon on February 4, 2011, we heralded the enacting of stricter regulations towards the cheap buses due to the fact that they pose a danger to the membership of TWU Local 100-especially the bus operators. We argued then that TWU Local 100 has a major stake in this issue since it affects the membership directly however John Samuelsen was and is still still asleep at the switch.

We believe everyone is aware of the catastrophic accident that happened on the Bronx, where I-95 meets Hutchinson River Parkway - we here in why did you join the union and on behalf of the TWU Local 100 membership are expressing our sympathy for the loss of life including those who were maimed or had minor injuries. We wish all of them a speedy physical and emotional recovery.

In our last junket to Washington DC on April 27, 2010 to rally support for the failed Public Transportation Act - which did not produce any fruits to the benefit of TWU Local 100 membership. No heads were brought forward to be held responsible or at the minimum to be handed to our adhoc grilling with president Samuelsen playing the role of the umpire for waste of membership resources. It is clear failure after failure is the norm, however they are rewarded with junket to Portugal. It has become a hall mark of his leadership, we intend to change that.

In that junket the same cheap bus company was contracted to chauffeur the TWU Local 100 membership from New York to Washington DC and back, then we were informed that one of the buses hit a flying duck on the way back to New York on the front windshield that splattered into the membership. While we are on the road back we advised the membership to report the incident to the proper authorities (we believed then that we were in New Jersey state) as well as seek medical attention inaddition to file personal injury lawsuit against the cheap bus company. Here is where it got ironic since the TWU Local 100 bosses objected to our reasoning - their objective was to get the membership back so they could make their trains home, they relayed their instructions to the bus captains to advise the cheap bus driver to keep on driving. We cannot point the finger here to Samuelsen because it is unclear if those bosses had a tacit approval from him. However we are not happy with that behavior - we wish those bosses were handed to us for an adhoc grilling with the president Samuelsen playing the role of the referee for not caring about the membership wellbeing.

Now we will head to Albany for Lobby day on tuesday March 29, 2011 - if we have contracted the same cheap bus company to chauffeur TWU Local 100 membership then in the event we have an incident as mentioned above we advise the membership to immediately call 911, report it to the proper authority, seek medical attention and file a personal injury lawsuit against the cheap bus company.

Long overdue

Cheap buses have been blocking the advancement of NYCT buses. There is no question that they are a hazard. They are parked at angles making it tough to navigate thru the winding streets of chinatown and elsewhere.

It creates its dynamic effect where you have travelers with their luggage and relatives who are there for the send off cluttering the roadway with their cars parked in maze like fashion. It is also accurate that the megabus and boltbus completely block 33rd street between 7th and 8th avenue. If you are caught behind either of those buses then you have nowhere to go except observe the minutes in wristwatch go by.

That causes delay of service to the waiting customers along the route, who are angry at the bus operator who has no fault. In comparison the cheap buses that are at chinatown are more dangerous - they move at their own whim and are more brazen than the ones on 33 street. It is time that there should be some order, time for TWU Local 100 to play a pivotal role to ensure that bus operators advice are taken into consideration. TWU Local 100 has a major stake in this issue however John Samuelsen may be asleep at the switch.