E-Bus Operation Could Bring about a Legal Battle  

Saldivar argues that the e-buses are running the routes that the private operators have been running, and that his clients believe that the e-buses have been taking away the student customers who pay the same prices on the e-buses. This has created a challenge for the private entities to meet their loan payments, he said, and that his clients will have to do what they must, perhaps even taking the matter to court. That’s because the bus operators believe that all avenues to get an audience to discuss the matter have long been exhausted.

 

Arthur Saldivar, Attorney for City Shuttle Ltd., Lopez Runs & Lemoth and Sons

“We are now left with a prospect of a major portion of the market being undermined and undercut by what the council is seeking to do outside of that, there was this commitment that the route the buses were going to be servicing would not have been overlapping those routes of the traditional private sector players that has not been the case. Their routes are being directly utilized and as a result of it, the economic viability in the medium term has become rather dubious because these, as you would appreciate private sector entities have financial commitments to the banks and other financial institutions that has to be serviced and servicing those debts.”

 

Marion Ali

“There is always an overcrowding of students. In the seats in the aisles, you can hardly get in. Is this really posing a competition, if there is a need for more buses out there to get the students in a safe manner to school and on time, is the electric bus really posing competition when I think there is a need for more bosses because of the overcrowding?  I have no doubt that there is a need for more buses?”

 

Arthur Saldivar

“I have no doubt that there is a need for more buses, Marion, but where the competition is on a level playing field and those buses are being brought in under the same circumstance of what exists, there is no issue. But when your fuel, which in this case is electricity, for those buses are free. Your maintenance of street, the acquisition cost is nonexistent, but your prices are being made to undercut the prices presently established within the industry. That is unfair. Certainly, now the private sector operators will do what they need to do.”

 

Marion Ali

“What would that be?”

 

Arthur Saldivar

“Well, of course, they reserve our legal, their legal rights to seek and redress for what has been done.”