Dear Editor,
A year or two ago I sent a letter to the Sun complaining about the fact that the Cherry Hill Senior Bus Service had no emergency drivers, to pitch in and help out when one of the regular drivers called out sick. Well guess what? Here we are in 2023 and we still have the same problem.Â
Currently the driver for the east end of the township has been out for some time for surgery. So the one remaining driver has had to carry twice her normal load and try to cover the entire township. The other day, just as an example, she was being run ragged racing back and forth between both ends of the township, handling everything from shopping trips to emergency medical transportation. She told me she felt stressed -out and physically ill (she also mentioned that the previous day she had logged 91 miles in a single day. Ninety-one miles!)Â
This situation is also causing problems for those of us who use the bus service, because we now have fewer days to get things done since the driver must also cover the other end of the township. Now look; Cherry Hill is a fairly prosperous community, and there should be no excuse for not hiring some extra drivers to cope with emergencies.Â
I have complained previously about the township’s management of the senior bus service, and this is just another example of it. I would like to remind township officials that the reason government exists is to serve the public, not simply to sit around collecting paychecks and posing for photo-ops.Â
Let’s “get on the stick”!
James Camilli
Cherry Hill, NJ
