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Cars parked at bus stops land Mowasalat drivers in trouble
Cars parked at bus stops land Mowasalat drivers in trouble
Besides offending people in vehicles coming from behind, a bus driver told Gulf Times they also get fined by the police for stopping in the middle of the road or at places not designated for the purpose.“There is no way to stop in designated areas for us as these slots are already occupied by drivers who leave their vehicles there for long periods,” he noted. “If we stop (before or) after the bus stops, passengers get mad at us.”Worse, he said they have to pay the QR500 fine from their own pockets, which many bus drivers believe should not be the case.Another driver echoed the statement of his colleague, saying he was fined twice for stopping along the road right in front of the bus stop to load and unload passengers. A few weeks ago, he said he was hit from behind on Al Waab Street despite switching on his hazard lights. “We do this to warn commuters who come from behind to prevent any untoward accident,” he added. “We always want to ensure the safety of our passengers as they board or leave the bus.”In some cases, he lamented that they have to pay a QR650 fine as an "admin fee" (deducted from their salaries) for any damage to the bus they are driving.Asked if they report violators to authorities, the bus driver said they take the pictures of cars parked in slots reserved for them and send it to their office. He pointed out that at times they fail to take pictures since they are more concerned about the safety of their passengers.