Our Readers' Opinions
January 18, 2011

Van Drivers, show some compassion

18.JAN.11

EDITOR: Minibus Association, can you please encourage the van drivers, especially those in the North Leeward area, to show compassion to schoolchildren and others?{{more}}

It is a custom for some van drivers to deliberately turn away schoolchildren from entering their vans, for these drivers only think of making as much money as they can. Van drivers, how would you feel if you have children who need to get to school and other van drivers refuse to accept them into their vans? Would you be happy about it? Matthew 7:12 says that “all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them”.

Van drivers, apply that golden rule in treating schoolchildren with love and compassion. After all, schoolchildren are humans too.

Furthermore, some van drivers refuse to accept anyone who wishes to travel a short distance. Example: A man may wish to go from Chateaubelair to Spring Village. A van driver refuses to carry him, figuring that he only receives $2 for the fare. But if the driver is wise and accepts the man, he would get $2. Then if he picks up someone in Spring Village, which most often happens, he gets $4 to carry that person to Kingstown, making a total of $6 from Chateaubelair to Kingstown. Carrying one person from Chateaubelair to Kingstown, the driver makes a total of $5. Some drivers are certainly not wise.

However, the main thing is not about the money, but showing compassion and love to the travelling public. ALL van drivers, especially in North Leeward, I implore you again, apply the golden rule and show compassion to schoolchildren and others.

A Considerate Person