CHENNAI: The Metropolitan Transport Corporation hired temporary drivers to run buses in the city on Friday by offering Rs 600 to Rs 800 as daily wage. Posters were put out at the depots to recruit drivers with a driving licence for heavy vehicles.
But a few passengers had a bitter experience with temporary drivers.
Some commuters got down from a bus moving towards Vadapalani after the passengers sensed that the driver without uniform was inexperienced in driving the MTC bus.
“The driver was visibly inexperienced in handling the bus and was speaking through his mobile phone for over 15 minutes. He was apparently telling a friend on the other end how he slept late last night after having a liquor because he should be driving the MTC bus for next two days at least,” said Janet Andrea, a private school teacher.
Transport unions alleged that members of the Anna Thozhilalar Peravai had brought in their friends who were driving autos and vans. “The bus driver who took the bus number A1 (with fleet number CDJ0051) was a van driver with no licence to drive heavy vehicle,” said a union member.