Vending - a JUTC pest

Brian Pitter, Gleaner Intern

Vendors have long been criticised for their insistent behaviour when offering their wares to Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) commuters.

However, a male vendor who operates in South Parade, downtown Kingston, summed up the aggressive sales strategy in simple terms: "We have to do what we have to do."

In an effort to fully justify his and fellow vendors' actions, in-between selling bag juice and snacks he told Automotives that if vendors do not enter the bus first it will be more difficult for them to make sales. He said the bus drivers are less inclined to let vendors in when they realise the bus is full.

According to JUTC spokesman, Granville Newell, vendors should not be allowed on the state-run bus company's units. "It is the responsibility of the driver to see that no vending is done on the bus," he said. "If the vendor refuses to come off the bus then the police should be called, or the bus be driven to a police station."

However, one driver took a more lenient position. A male driver told Automotives that he has no problem with accommodating vending, but the inspectors are against it. On the contrary, a female driver was adamant that vending cannot take place on a bus she is driving. "When them see my bus them cyaa come in here," she stated. "Them know my face and them know say them cannot sell in my bus."

JUTC's marketing and communications manager, Clinton Clarke, expressed similar sentiments to Newell's, but placed some of the responsibility for preventing vending on passengers. "We know the society we live in. People eat on the bus and the bus becomes infested, then the same people that eat on the bus turn and curse us that there are rodents crawling on them," Clarke said. "We want the eating (on the buses) to stop, and the only way to stop it is if the commuters stop buying from these vendors."

EDUCATING PASSENGERS

A JUTC inspector, Courtney Bennett, insisted that rather than blaming the vendors only, more emphasis needs to be placed on educating passengers. He said methods other than the current approach of posting 'No Eating' and 'No Vending' signs have to be used, as some persons are unable to read. Bennett said the messages should be delivered by television and/or radio. He also suggested that JUTC inspectors distribute flyers educating patrons about their role in keeping the buses clean.

While Bennett sympathised with the vendors, saying that they need to make money, pushing their goods on to commuters is wrong. Still, Bennett pointed out, it is summer and persons need refreshments to cool down.