The 11th Blog

The 11^th Blog

Ryan Dhanraj and Rommel Dookeran in the their online blog entitled the Slums-The King of Urban Decay spoke key issues that affect the city of Port of Spain such youth unemployment, crime and urban life. These issues were also discussed in our blog relating to urban transport.

In the first blog post entitled “Solution to Slums and Urban Decay”, Dhanraj and Dookeran speak about low income housing, slum life and all accompanies it. This blog also speaks of unemployment in young persons living in urban areas. In our blog entitled “To Buy a Car or Not to Buy a Car? That is the Question” we spoke about persons not being able to afford cars because of limited income and low income earning jobs.

The blow also speaks of employing the young persons living in these poor communities. In our blog posts entitled “To Buy a Car or not Buy a Car. That is the Question” and “Crime in the City” , we also spoke about how low income jobs affect persons and the gross inequalities that arise between individuals in the city.

Moreover, in Dhanraj and Dookeran’s entitled “Challenge of Crime in Core Cities”, they speak about the high crime rates in certain areas of the city and how detrimental it can be.

Additionally, Dhanraj and Dookeran made a blog post entitled “Life of A Slum Dweller” which was similar to our blog post entitled “A Maxi driver’s Rage” where both blog examined the lives of hard working individuals on the grind in the city.

However, our transport blog varies from their blog their general blog in that  we focus on the ins and outs of urban life on the transport network while they take a more general approach. They put special emphasis on urban slum culture which gave a very interesting outlook on urban life from the perspectives of those who are effected by it the most.

Traffic Jam

Traffic Jam

Traffic in the City. Long waits in your most impatient hour.

Going into or coming out of the city of Port of Spain is always a stressful experience because of the traffic. Especially in the rush hours which are between the times of 7-9 A.M and 3-6 P.M. At these times persons are travelling home from work and school mainly, which results in the heaviest traffic pf the day.

Pollution from the numerous cars that are on the roads of the city increases the countries over all carbon foot print Such pollutants include carbon dioxide (CO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

These air pollutants can have a detrimental effect on the environment. The affects these pollutants have can be human or environmental. Many of these pollutants are linked to cancer, respiratory diseases such as asthma, skin irritations and many more. Moreover noise pollution can also affect the livelihood of persons as the noise from the heavy traffic can lead to hearing loss and sleep disturbance. Sleep disturbance is particularly dangerous as it disrupts the natural body functions.

Additionally, the environmental impacts include the creating of smog when there is an excess of CO_2.  This smog can affect plant photosynthesising, cause acid rain production. Moreover, chemical such as chloroflurocarbons (CFCs) cause ozone layer depletion.

Nevertheless, some cities have made strides to cut down on the amount of car traffic flowing into the city by encouraging walking and cycling. In our The Cyclist blog it was stated that cycling is an easier way to travelling in and out of the city as it is easy to manoeuvre in and out of traffic with a bicyle. However, it is slightly dangerous, as there is the potential threat of being hit by a car. Trinidad should invest in some bicycle lanes to encourage more cyclist on the road. This would reduce pollution levels in the city.

However, traffic is not just polluting but irritating. Driving in traffic can often raise blood levels and cause stress. This is especially true if running late for work and you get caught by the lights between St. James and Port of Spain. Havign alternating means of transport in the city such as car polling and cycling can reduce traffic congestion and create an easier follow of in and out going traffic. This would surely reduce some stress.

Wouldn’t we all like some peace of mind on the road.

Crime in the City

Taxi stands where numerous persons have been robbed at night. Taxies can be easily robbed at any time.

Trinidad has one of the highest crime statistics in the Caribbean. This criminal behaviour is even reflected within the transport system. In 2014, Trinidad had 2592. Many persons have reported being robbed in maxies and cars (taxies) travelling in and out Port of Spain. This is not only limited to the passengers but many maxi and car drivers have reported being robbed while on their jobs.

These drivers have reported being robbed several times at knife point and gun point in various areas along the Priority bus route and different areas of Port of Spain. These drivers often say that it is extremely dangerous working in certain areas such as the Beethum and Lavintille at night. They exclaimed that they are not the only target when the maxi’s are being held at ransom but the passengers are often report being robbed as well.

The Ovearseas Security Advisory Council’s Trinidad and Tobago 2014 Crime and Safety Report (2014) states individuals have reported being robbed while travelling in maxies and gypsy taxies (cars). It has also been reported that sometimes these robberies are done with the collusion of the driver. Ms. Julisa Willett told us the story of when she was robbed. Ms. Willett stated that the incident took place late at night while she was travelling home from an event. She was sitting in a window seat in a maxi and as the maxi haulted at a traffic light, a car pulled up next to the maxi and a man started to wrestle with her for her bag through the window. She continued by saying that the maxi driver never drove off in the mist of the action. In her account she says “he stood there and let me get robbed.” She believes he was in collusion with the thief and hence did nothing to help her. Ms. Willett said that the thief made off with two cellular phones and about $200. 00 she had in her purse.

As mentioned in Jaffe (2012) believes that crime is more prevalent in cities because of the economic disparities and discrimination against ethnic, racial and sexual minorities. Sampson (1986), also supports this by saying that known determinants of crime rates are inequality, poverty and racial composition.  However, Trinidad has such a well-integrated plural society and multi-ethnic society that it is easy for one to say the main cause of the high crime rate in Port of Spain is economic inequality. Many persons in the city have low income earning jobs this leads persons having to find creative ways of making money. This may include criminal activity. As stated in our “Differ faces,  Differ places” blog there is racial inequality in the city of Port of Spain which can play an antagonistic role in crime in the city.

However, according to local Trinidadian police, the crime rate has reduced.

                    Graph showing Crime Statistics for the Year.

The graph show a steady decline in crime from that January to February. However, the graph shows that there were n crimes committed in March and so far for the month of April. This is highly questionable. There may be a case of a missing data for March and so far for the month of April. Baring this in mind, we look at the only two months for the year for which is there is data, January and February.

Nevertheless, one can only hope that crime really is on the decline and that the streets of Port of Spain are safe for all those who choose to venture there. Having a high crime rate can deter shoppers and tourist, making them feel unsafe to venture into the city. More over entrepreneurs and established business giants may be less inclined to set up businesses in a crime laden area, hence affecting the business aspect of the city. All in all, we would like to believe that the city has a declining crime rate as no one wants to see such a rich city, which such strong cultural routes get a bad reputation.

Sources:

https://www.osac.gov/pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=16263

http://www.jstor.org/stable/1147430?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

http://ttps.gov.tt/Statistics/Crime-Totals-By-Month

http://www.ttcrime.com/stats.php

http://myelearning.sta.uwi.edu/file.php/32678/Jaffe2012-Neoliberalism.pdf

Barbados vs Trinidad

Barbados vs Trinidad

Bajan ZR Mini Van

Trini maxies

With The two geographers both being a resident of Barbados we decided that we should do a bit comparison between the country of Barbados and Trinidad’s transportation systems. As locals for many years we have been frustrated with the transport system in Barbados but coming to another country it has open the eyes of us to realise that we have it pretty good in the nation of Barbados. From research it was observed that it has been stated that Barbados transportation system should be a model to implement within the West Indies, although quit impress by this reading. Like all countries the Transportation system has it flaws such as in the Bus Terminals located in the City of Bridgetown known as the Princess Alice Terminal and Fare Child Street Bus Terminal often send the buses very late and disrupt persons schedules and with the size of the country there is no Priority Bus Route which means traffic is a major issue faced by these vehicles especially during Rush Hour.

In Trinidad it has been observed that many persons in business attire are not on the maxi’s or even the sound of foreign voices buzzing with excitement. In Barbados it is customary to see tourist late at nights getting off buses to walk to their hotels or a working persons in their fancy suits taking the public buses, “ZR’s” or mini vans to get to their destination. This can do due to the public transit being so user friendly and comfortable. Sometimes it is even so funny when the conductors in these vehicles put on funny accents just to impress the tourists. According to the Barbados Transport Board one many not find the higher income on the bus, because it’s not seen as the cultural thing to do but you will find the lower and middle class here in Barbados. However, here in Trinidad many persons own a car no matter the class, but an exception was seen that caught us by surprise where out lecturer Priya Kaysoon takes public transport daily to get around instead of having a car.

Lynda Holder stated that some of the Caribbean countries including Trinidad and Tobago have contacted the Barbados Transport Board to learn more about way to improve their own public transport systems. If one may wonder what is such the big deal about the system in Barbados it is very structured and functional for the use of daily patrons in the city.

Firstly, there is a standardised fare which is two Barbadian which is equivalent to about 6 Trinidadian dollars, this fare is to carry a person anywhere in Barbados no matter the distance. Was a bit shocked when I came to Trinidad and hearing person telling the driver they came from short and from a particular stop.

The Late hours, the first bus leaves the terminal at 5 a.m. and the last public bus leaves the terminal at 12 a.m. but that doesn’t account for the private transport which runs to very late hours. This is where persons are encouraged now to take the public bus because it accommodates for many persons working schedule.

Lastly the signage where the Bus stop indicated to patrons where there are “Going into the City” or “Out of the city”. This mechanism is very helpful to persons especially tourist that frequently our island rapidly. Prevents persons from being lost.

It has been extraordinary being introduced to different cities and cultures and being able to see the difference each country proposes.

Happy Reading J  

Source

http://www.transportboard.com/

The Cyclist

The Cyclist

 Bicycle Security in The City

Joe on His Bicycle in The City

According to fact sheet (2011) there are twice as many bicycles in the world as automobiles. In recent years’ bike production has climbed to over 100 million bikes per year in comparison to 50 million cars. The top leading countries that use bicycles are China where the population is 1,342,700,000 and the bicycle count is more than 500,000,000 and second leading is the country of Belgium.  Travelling to big cities one may recognise that we use of automobiles is more prominent but traveling to places such as New York City, one would observe that City Bank has implemented a system where persons pay to use bikes to travel around the city. However, these bicycles are timed and if they are not return in the slot by a certain time the person riding would be charged and extra fee. As a tourist in the Big City it is very fascinating to see this happening because in little islands such Trinidad and Barbados bicycles are used by many patrons to get to their destination.

As one walks along the streets of Port of Spain one may notice that person take security measures to keep their cycles safe when leaving then unattended. Just as when person get a car they install alarms to ensure that persons are unable to steal their vehicles.

For many people cycling is just a hobby whereas there are some persons who use it as their daily mode of transportation to get from place to place. From my early childhood it was as if it was mandatory to learn to ride a bicycle but I was restricted to just my neighbourhood and I have never tackled the highways and streets with my cycle due to transport being readily available for me. In Port of Spain it we spotted a person hoping onto their cycle and we caught his attention and he slowed down and had quit an educational discussion with him where he encouraged us to stay in school and he is proud to see young people out here trying to do better in the country than causing corruption. With perspiration running down his face from the hot sun, he stated to us that he would go by the name of Joe. This encourage man by the name of Joe stated that the he has been riding this bike for over 25 years and has no intentions of giving it up any time soon. He stated to us that he changes it every 5 years and if he can’t he replaces some of the replaces some of the parts to ensure that it is kept in a good condition. We asked him why he choose this mode of transport, he laughed and said he doesn’t have to put gas in his bike and also he doesn’t live to far from the Port of Spain area where his job and most of “vibes” are located. He said some years ago his bike was stolen and it made him to consider buying a vehicle but he took the bus for a while after the thief and then got the courage to purchase another bike as he stated in a very funny manner.

We followed by asking him if he thinks a lane should be only dedicated to bicycles but stated that the law is not cut out for the poor man and this country would never put that into place. We followed by asking why he stated that the law is not cut out for the poor man, he stated that is just the way the world works and sated to us that he has to go and it was nice talking to us.

The Geography of Transport System website looks at the use of bicycles as a sustainable movement however an extremely difficult challenge considering the prominence that the automobile is achieving worldwide. Thus, alternatives such as bicycles can be provided if they prove to be cost effective while fulfilling a niche demand. Hence Trinidad should implement a bicycle system to start the trend of sustainability in Trinidad.

Happy Reading J

Sources:

·        tt http://top10hell.com/top-10-countries-with-most-bicycles-per-

·        capita/ps://people.hofstra.edu/geotrans/eng/ch8en/conc8en/ch8c4en.html

Final Destination

Lady on her way to her final destination

Final Destination

Final Boarding Call For All Passengers. Please Board Now

Here on an adventure we stormed through this bus terminal in search for daily passengers. These two young hip urban geographers stood outside the main bus terminal in Trinidad City Gate and interviewed the first twenty-five persons on their destinations. This test was done to see the most popular destination from out of the city whether it be Arima, Cruepe, University of the West Indies. Many days we walk pass many strangers and don’t know their destinations and why they have chosen the particular mode of Transportation.

Although some were a bit sceptical with our warm smiles they answered and moved along swiftly. This terminal is very busy and hundreds of persons pass through it daily, so was twenty-five persons enough? No it is but it gave us a good enough look to where persons are going like what we saw in the video that was presented by Priya Kaysoon in the lecture about public space. For many who may not know when these maxis’ leave the City Gate terminal they go on the Priority Route which is mainly used for buses, maxi’s, emergency and authorised vehicles. There is limited traffic on this route and it takes one limited time to arrive in the main city via these maxis’.  Some persons suggest that they use this method of transport for its availability, cost and speed and often choose chose the little maxis because they stop less frequently than the big ones. The university of the West Indies, Cruepe and Arima were one of the two popular destination mentioned by many patrons. Some of these persons mentioned they have cars but they sometimes prefer to take this mode of transport if they are just doing quick errands in town they just hop on a maxi and come into town. However, some had no car and have been taking the maxi for many years and find that it can be quit inconvenient at times especially on public holidays

According to Aprodicio Laquian (1981) good transport networks tend to encourage commuting, which in turn affects metropolitan finance. From research one these particular areas it was observed that these places are very highly populated with persons, many textbooks have noted that where there is a good transport network system, one tends to find many person residing in this area. Rachel Kyte (2011) stated good public transport systems are an essential part of safe, clean and affordable transport for development.  Kyet (2011) looked at it from a social perspective where public transport is often the only means of transport for the poor. Without it, they would be able to look at work opportunities only within walking distance of their homes, so public transport improves their livelihood opportunities. However, from an urban mobility perspective, public transport is far more efficient than personal motor vehicles in terms of the road space it uses up and the energy it consumes.

This same pattern is observed in many countries not only Trinidad and highlights how important the transportation factor is in a country.

 Happy Reading J

Source

·        https://books.google.tt/books?id=83ZgzO5UjfsC&pg=PA98&lpg=PA98&dq=good+transport+networks+tend+to+encourage+commuting,+which+in+turn+affects+metropolitan+finance&source=bl&ots=NNDPDFrc8-&sig=IawFUQ0ANUZR4qAUANxouxXsHDA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiu5fPMz_jLAhVB9h4KHVnTBiUQ6AEIGjAA#v=onepage&q=good%20transport%20networks%20tend%20to%20encourage%20commuting%2C%20which%20in%20turn%20affects%20metropolitan%20finance&f=false

Different Face Different Places

Lady making her way down town from bus terminal Many Afro-Trinidadians utilise the public transport services.

Different Face Different Places

As mentioned before in our “To buy a car or not buy a car? That is the question” blog diversity on public transportation in Trinidad is limited. This is due to the fact the racial divide that occurs in Trinidad. Afro-Trinidadians tend to work lower wage earning jobs while Indo-Trinidadian tend to work more professional jobs. This leads to more Afro-Trinidadians being unable to afford to purchase their own car. Additionally, the smaller white population of Trinidad tend to be business wealthy business owners who would not be caught dead on a maxi travelling to Port of Spain.

In essence, Afro-Trinidadians make up the majority of the faces you see on the maxies in Trinidad. Adrica Simmion, a regular maxi traveller, confessed that main “black” people take maxi. She stated that Indo-Trinidadians usually have their own cars that they drive.

However, the buses are a much different case. The Public Transports Service Cooperation (PTSC) busses run straight from the eastern side of the island down to the southern side of the island. The southern areas of Trinidad are known to have a predominately Indo-Trinidadian population. Hence, it is not uncommon to see many Indo-Trinidadians on the PTSC buses flocking downing South on the weekends. This is especially true for university students who live down south but study at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine campus in the northern section of the island.

According to one such student of Analice Ramkisson, who lives in a small settle just outside Princetown, travelling home by bus on weekends feels like a huge reward for the long she has had. According to Analice life down south is much nicer. It’s where most of her family and friends so she does not mind the long bus ride. Analice agreed she’d love to have her parents come pick her up in the family car but that is not always possible as both of them work so she makes the sacrifice and takes the bus home. She continued to say that she could stay up if they can not come for her but she would much rather the slight inconvenience of the bus to get home than staying up on the northern side of island. Analice additionally confessed that she never takes a maxi to go anywhere, as she never goes to Port of Spain and her parents always drop her into Princetown if she needs to go.

According to Glaeser et al. (2006), more than 19 percent of people in cities are poor vs only 7.5 percent of persons in suburbs. This corresponds with Analice’s statement that she has no need to take public transport besides to “down south” on the weekends. Another student, also of Indo-Trinidadian decent, Vinash Ramdass, states that he has no need to take maxi or bus as he has a car given to him by his parents. He admits he never goes into Port of Spain as he has need to. He confessed that his mother does all of his shopping “down south”.

The mere fact that finding statistics to validate the observations made shows an even deeper underlying problem. For such an ethnically diverse country like Trinidad one would expect there to be many studies done on the economic disparities between the various races.

According to Ashlee, an Afro-Trinidadian UWI student from Arima, travelling to and from school, Port of Spain and anywhere else via maxi is her fate which she endures because she is not fortunate enough to be able to afford a car. As stated in our “To buy a car or not buy a car? That is the question” cars are an expensive asset. According to Ashlee, catching maxi is common people of her “type”, meaning people of her race. She further states that she often takes trips to Port of Spain with her mother and sometimes friends, to shop.

According to Seiler (2007) historically “black” persons were not allowed to take public transport. If they did they were subjected to police harassment and bigotry. Seiler (2007) states that only “elite blacks” such athletes and entertainers were permitted on public transport. Surely things have come a long way. Now “blacks” dominate the public transport railways while other races avoid them.

Steven Williams, a Caucasian Trinidadian, who is an executive manager on board of companies, confess that he hates taking any form of public transport and rarely ever ventures into the city, unless on business. He says he’d rather drive himself and pay the high cost of parking in one of the many car parks in the city as mentioned in our “The Economics of Parking in Port of Spain”. He added that he has not taken a maxi since his very early school days. Not to make the other races left out, Jenna, of Spanish Venezuelan descent and Chang of Asian descent, when speaking to us admitted that they have never taken a maxi in their lives as there families have always been fortunate enough to have had cars. It was then discovered that Jenna’s parents are store owners and Chang’s parents own numerous Chinese restaurants. They further disclosed that they too rarely ever venture into Port of Spain, but do most of their shopping at the mall where there is better parking.

Clearly, there is a limited diversity on the public railways. This lack of diversity seems mainly driven by economic disparities in the country. I wonder if anyone else noticed.