| 03 Jul 2009 |
|
Irbid bus operators to continue strike
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Owners of large passenger buses operating between Irbid and Amman are threatening to continue a 17-day strike over losses they have incurred as a result of a rearrangement of bus terminals.
Mahmoud Dawah, who operates a large bus, claimed that a decision by the Public Transport Regulatory Commission (PTRC) four years ago to allot separate spaces for buses and minibuses in Amman and Irbid terminals has made their operations unfeasible.
The owners claim that the decision, which established separate areas for the large, 40-passenger buses and smaller 20-seat minibuses, has hurt their business "severely" as passengers prefer smaller buses because they are faster and run more frequently.
"Passengers used to queue in the same line for large and medium vehicles, but now they only go to the minibus area," Dawah said, adding that there are over 50 large passenger vehicles whose owners are struggling to meet their operational costs.
Dawah indicated that many bus owners used to operate minibuses, but due to a decision by the Transport Ministry in 1994 preventing minibuses from operating between governorates, they decided to shift to larger vehicles.
"We believe that we were deceived by this decision, because 13 minibuses are still operating between the two cities," he added.
Mohammad Shatnawi, another owner, said some large passenger buses make only one trip to Amman per month because of low demand.
"Hundreds of families rely on these buses for their income, including drivers and owners," he told The Jordan Times this week.
Moad Mohammad, an Irbid resident who travels to Amman daily, said he prefers to ride minibuses because they are faster, adding that he would consider boarding the larger buses if they were in better condition.
PTRC spokesperson Ekhlas Yousef said the commission is working to solve the issue in a manner that satisfies all parties.
"The commission needs more time to solve the issue," she noted
© Jordan Times 2009
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