Found out about this just minutes ago (thanks to PROUD MEMBER), but for those of you seeing this in time Tomas Fret will be on the radio at 7 p.m.
Listen online ... https://www.wbai.org/
Fret.jpeg
I think in its entirety that broadcast did more good than harm
For those who missed it live you can listen to it at the link below. Also, after Tomas, fast forward to about the 31.00 mark to hear a PEP menber and the leader of PIST talk about the industry. Although they both support us 100% neither have a clue about bussing.
https://www.wbai.org/archive/program/episode/?id=60655
Although not directly spoken about during this broadcast it brought something to my attention that never dawned on me before. That is that school busing in Staten Island is so much different than it is in the other boroughs. When stats are provided for bus service it's for NYC in its entirety. So even though we hear the words "late report" much more in recent years due to lack of drivers it is something that not only because of that lack of drivers but also because of congestion and geographical differences that it has been a problem in the other boroughs for years and years before. That is probably the biggest reason for slow bus service. At first when one of the speakers said that buses are routinely getting to schools an hour or two late I thought she didn't know what she was talking about. But then I realized she was probably right. And the blame for that should be put on OPT and not the Owners and Drivers. I've always said that OPT should get input from Drivers when they make up the routes.
Agreed. We know that OPT does not know how to properly route school bus runs. I read the horror stories of kids spending up to 3 hours on the bus. Of course some of this may be due to the fact that more routes may be needed in some boroughs but OPT knows no one has the drivers to handle them.