In view of the first bell, little changes in Canavese. And too many kids still get on board without a mask
IVREA. Ten days from the beginning of the school in Canavese, teaching in attendance at 100%, which everyone hopes to be able to maintain until the end, road transport has stopped last year. «At the moment only one more driver has arrived – explains Giovanni Ambrosio, rsu Filt Cgil -, whom we greet with favor and to whom we send our most sincere wishes. But unfortunately it will not save us because we have other absences and because the level from which we start is too low. We are extremely worried about the beginning of the school year ».
For its part, GTT has made it known that it has, at the moment, no significant news on the extra-urban framework. In the Piedmont Region today at 3 pm there will be a press conference with the prefect, various epidemiologists, trade unions and the councilors for Health, Education and Transport.
The latter, Marco Gabusi, explained in response to a question from the director Alberto Avetta that “already in May Gtt informed the councilor on the difficulties, mainly due to the unavailability of efficient vehicles and driving personnel, which led to anticipate in July and to extend the downsizing period of the races on the Ivrea node. Despite having started the sanctioning procedures, we cannot fail to take into account that GTT has recently acquired new means of transport and launched a competition for drivers, ensuring that with the start of schools everything will return to normal ». The vehicles acquired, 50 for the entire extra-urban service, however, will arrive by the beginning of 2022.
On the other side of the fence, in contact with the users, there are the drivers. Which often represent the only source of information and help for users, of which they also collect outbursts and complaints. «From the 13th – explains Ambrosoio -, there will also be the entry of new students, who certainly have less experience in using the vehicles. If you miss a ride, today the kids know which bus to take as a substitute ».
Another issue, then, is that of compliance with the anti Covid rules, which already promises to be complex. «In the last few days – explains Ambrosio – I personally had to make three reports to the company for problems with groups of children without masks. It happens to have to do with educated kids, with whom you reason. I even gave one to one of them once. But then I ran into young people who had pretensions: they wanted me to give them the mask. We drivers are not distributors. Those who take public transport must know that protection is needed on board ».
Of course, the main concern must not be forgotten. «The impression – specifies Ambrosio – is that there is a progressive abandonment of the province with respect to the capital. The lack of investments and grafts makes us think that in the future, no investments are being made to maintain employment levels in view of an upcoming tender. The extension of the contract is valid until January 2022. Then, political decisions, given the emergency, could to postpone the announcement ».