While maxi-taxi drivers participated in yesterday’s strike action in south Trinidad, there was not a complete shutdown of brown- and black-band maxi-taxis on day one of the proposed three-day action yesterday.These bands service areas like Siparia, Penal, Point Fortin, Princes Town and its outskirts.Across at King’s Wharf there were four brown-band maxis on the San Fernando to Point Fortin maxi stand when the Express visited yesterday morning.After 4 p.m. there were two 25-seaters waiting to be filled.One driver said, “I supporting, but in my heart, I really can’t stay home right now.”Other drivers said they had to consider their financial situation and therefore had come out to work.“I have my bills to pay. I have children to send to school and my loan to pay; I can’t afford to take three days off,” said a driver at the brown-band San Fernando to Penal stand on St James Street, San Fernando.Another on this stand supported of the action and said, “If one man have a grievance, is everybody grievance, so I supporting them.”Yet another driver spoke about the San Fernando to Penal stand needing proper washroom facilities.Across in Princes Town, at the hub that operates from that area to Rio Claro, Tableland, Moruga, St Mary’s, Sixth Company and New Grant, these black-band maxi drivers told the Express that about 65% of the drivers had worked yesterday.One driver said some operators participated in the action, but by midday several maxis were at the hub.Another driver, who has been working the Princes Town to Rio Claro route for the past 32 years, said he did not want a total shutdown of the stand as that would prevent people from doing their normal activities: “People want to go to the doctor, people have serious appointments, some of us have to be outside at least to take care of that, because we depend on the passengers all the rest of days. We can’t be ungrateful and nobody can get around.” He considered the strike action holding the country to ransom.Maxi driver Primo Charles, who also operates from Princes Town, said he came out to work as some of the issues—including the speed on the highway and the bus route they are allowed to drive at—did not affect their area.He said drivers in Princes Town were being affected by white panel vans and other private-for-hire vehicles which have been transporting passengers.Illegal competition was one of the issues raised by the maxi-taxi operators for yesterday’s action.Other issues include an increase in the speed limit from 65 km/h to 80 km/h, transfer of maxi-taxi licences, route and hub development and school transport issues including outstanding payments to school transport operators.The San Fernando to Chaguanas route, however, was the most affected in San Fernando as several green-band maxi-taxi drivers spent the morning at City Gate in Port of Spain.When the Express arrived at the St James Street maxi stand yesterday morning, there was one driver.He said there were about 12 maxis working out of about 200.He told the Express he decided to ply the route as he explained that “when essential services on strike, somebody have to take care of the most vulnerable in society.”