A CONVERSATION between two Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) drivers last Sunday not only pointed to unprofessionalism among some staff but also offered an explanation for the number of accidents involving the company's buses.

Sunday church service had just ended when The Sunday Gleaner reporter boarded a No. 61 bus which was heading from Papine to downtown Kingston.

The conversation between the drivers, captured on a digital tape recorder, started in Papine and ended on Marescaux Road, when the assigned driver of the bus got off.

The driver, whom we will call Charles, got out of the bus as soon as it arrived in Papine. After consuming a champagne-flavoured soda, the driver went into a nearby pub and returned with the beverage bottle, this time containing a transparent substance.

Instead of taking his place around the wheel, he asked another man, who was wearing a JUTC uniform, to drive. This man, whom we will call Leon, obliged. And for most of the journey they could not keep their mouths shut.

CHARLES: "Mi mis one accident a while ago. Right down yah suh (near Waterfalls in Liguanea, St. Andrew). A when mi si him nuh waan stop, mi go so 'boom!', an tek it affa him an him ride di side walk ... Mi tell him seh gi God thanks him a nuh one a dem today."

LEON: "A just like one day mi si one a try overtake mi inna di corner an a ask why mi neva stop. Bout him a police an a show mi gun. Mi seh: 'Push it up inna yuh expletives deleted and pull di trigga."

No regard

The conversation contiues with both men showing no regard for the passengers, using expletives freely. By the time the bus arrived at the stoplight, just above the Commissioner of Police's office on Old Hope Road, Leon had another story.

LEON: "Mi a come one day pon di road yah an a woman, pon har cellphone, just drive out pon mi. Yuh si when a put di bus ova deh so an go right ova pon har, a bredda seh: 'No driva, don't lick har, don't lik har driva."

To add more to the saga, a black Honda van pulled sharply in front of the bus. Leon is not amused.

LEON: "Him tink mi fraid fi lick dat. Mi nuh fraid fi lick dat."

CHARLES: "If yuh lick dat it spin yu nuh."

Crash conversation

LEON: "Mi know."

That was the last of the crash conversation. By the time the bus reached the top of Marescaux Road, Leon decided he had done enough work for the day. He told his driver colleague that he was heading to the depot and then home.

LEON: "Just carry it go park it a town fi mi. You a come wid mi ductress?"

Conductress: "I can't come off here, the journey nuh finish yet."