Pleebo, Maryland County — Transport services in Maryland County's commercial city of Pleebo were brought to a standstill Monday following a go-slow action by commercial drivers protesting against buses recently donated for student transportation by Maryland County District 2 Representative Anthony Williams.
The drivers, including taxi and mini-bus operators say the student transport scheme introduced by Rep. Williams has significantly affected their daily income.
The donated buses currently transport students between Pleebo and Harper at a reduced fare of L$50, a rate drivers claim is too low for commercial operators to compete.
According to drivers, many passengers now prefer the student buses, leaving commercial vehicles with fewer passengers and creating economic hardship for operators.
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"We can't find passengers again for us to feed our families too," One taxi driver, John Dioh spoke to the FrontPage Africa(FPA).
Taxi drivers usually charge L$200 for Pleebo to Harper, while mini buses charge L$150, a fare students also say is too high.
In response to the situation, Pleebo City Mayor Larry G. Geekor visited the Head Office of the ECOWAS Transport Union to engage union leaders and seek a peaceful resolution.
Speaking during the meeting, Mayor Geekor praised the union for maintaining calm and emphasized the need for dialogue.
"I want to say thank you for being so steady in the process, because the community, the city cooperation, the organization of transport -- we are partners. So anything we do in the city, we just don't want it to escalate, so that we don't create problems. So I decided to move quickly, to come and talk to you, so that we can all sit down for a stable solution," Mayor Geekor said.
During the engagement, Mayor Geekor also promised to negotiate with the transport committee regarding the possibility of increasing the student bus fare from L$50 to L$100 in an effort to ease the economic burden on commercial drivers and to meet NTA standards.
Responding, Layee Kamara, ECOWAS Transport Union Pleebo branch President welcomed the Mayor's intervention and expressed appreciation for his willingness to engage.
"We are very happy for you coming to our call because you are the father for us. Right now, we are very happy for you listening to our call to come to our aid," Mr. Kamara said.
The meeting ended with both sides agreeing to continue discussions as negotiations emerge to find a balanced solution that benefits both students and commercial drivers.
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