B.V.I. Friday, August 28 – Government is making preparations to introduce the community transit bus service in keeping with the provisions of the road traffic regulations 2009.
According to Mrs. Myrna Ferdinand, Acting Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Communications and Works, “Government decided to introduce this service in response to the need of those travellers who desire an affordable, clean and reliable transportation system throughout Tortola.”
The community transit bus service will be operated by a Government franchise and will be contracted to approved transport operators.
“The approval and selection for the franchise will be done by Government, based on the proposals submitted in accordance with the requirements needed to apply, Mrs. Ferdinand told the Department of Information and Public Relations.
One of those requirements speaks specifically to the buses used for the operation of the service. A bus used for the city limits shall be a long body-type vehicle with the entry and exit doors on the left side of the vehicle and having a seating capacity of not less than 30 passengers and an aisle of about six feet in height allowing passengers to stand and walk in and out of the bus. A bus used for the country route, shall be a minivan with a wide sliding door for access into the bus and having a seating capacity of not less than 14 passengers.
“Bus routes have already been identified throughout Tortola, which include approximately 70 bus stops,” Mrs. Ferdinand said. “Each pick-up and drop off point on a designated road shall be identified by an affixed sign post with the inscription of ‘BUS Stop’. The construction for the erection of bus stops and shelters is currently being negotiated,” Mrs. Ferdinand stated.
The law states that the minister shall determine the hours of operation of the bus service and shall cause a bus schedule to be prepared for each community served with a transit bus service. The bus fare for each designated route shall be determined by Cabinet and published in the Gazette.
Under the revised road traffic regulations, the Bus or the B license plate was introduced with the establishment of the livery service. The B motor vehicle registration plates, will be used on motor vehicle that will be operated in the Territory for the purpose of providing a passenger-paid community transit bus service.
Government is seeking the support of all parties involved to make the transition as smooth as possible as efforts are made to provide efficient and accurate services in vehicle licensing matters and to enhance drivers’ safety in compliance with the road traffic legislation of the Territory.
British Virgin Islands News