A WEEK after laying down an ultimatum to shut down the transport sector if a fare hike was not granted, bus and taxi lobbyist Egeton Newman’s bombast spat and sputtered before engaging first gear.
Newman, president of the Transport Operators Development Sustainable Services (TODSS), was disgusted that Monday’s strike, telegraphed to send warning shots to the transport ministry, did not rally the coalition of forces expected to arm-wrestle the Government for a 100 per cent increase.
“Quite a number of the public transport sector bus and taxi operators did not support the withdrawal of services because of more than one reason.
Newman, however, took consolation from reports that a number of operators in St Catherine withdrew their services, but admitted that the flagging support did not generate enough momentum to have an effect.
Dennis Powell, operator of a taxi that traverses through Half-Way Tree, was insistent that Newman’s clamour for a doubling of fares was impractical even though cabbies were in desperate need.
