Bus drivers have been working to rule for at least a week due to unresolved issues with management.

The industrial action has meant service disruption and cancellations, with one St. David's resident telling The Royal Gazette she waited three hours for a number six bus which never arrived.

Bermuda Industrial Union has not responded this week to requests for comment on the reason for the action. But one source said: "It's been going on since last week Thursday. It's to do with outstanding issues and the main issue is the [Hamilton bus] terminal.

"The drivers have concerns about reversing out of there and there being no place to park."

A spokeswoman for the Department of Public Transportation (DPT) confirmed last night that there had been "sporadic interruptions" in the bus service.

"The Department of Public Transportation can confirm that it is experiencing a work to rule of all bus operators," she said. "As a result, without notice, some buses may not run according to schedule. The public is advised to take this into account when making their transportation plans. The DPT values its passengers and regrets any inconvenience caused during this time."

The St. David's resident, who asked not to be named, said yesterday: "The buses at the moment are up the shoot. I'm not annoyed with the drivers. It's management, whatever they are up to."

The 55-year-old woman said she was left stranded at Number One Gate waiting for a number six that never showed up. "I thought it was just a one-off but it happened the next day," she said.

"Today, there were 50 of us there at Number One Gate waiting for the quarter to three bus — families, tourists, children. I rang up and the dispatcher says: 'We are working to rule'."

The passenger said she has ending up paying for minibuses, despite having already bought a bus pass. "This is a public service. I pay tax. I have paid for my bus pass, yet the service isn't running."

She added that a driver told her that certain routes were listed as overtime on the bus operators' roster, meaning that they were not covered during a work to rule.

"They are encouraging us to use the bus but we can't get home," she said. "At the moment, if you live in St. David's you can't get the bus to the supermarket at Southside, the cinema, the pizza restaurant."

A male passenger said he was forced to get a taxi home from town with others on Monday evening after they waited in vain for a bus at the Hamilton terminal. "There are no notices and nothing on the information screens to tell people what's going on," he said.

Premier and Transport Minister Ewart Brown and Public Transport Board director Dan Simmons declined to comment yesterday.