THE TRANSPORT BOARD will roll out a fleet of more than 200 buses early on Monday morning to accommodate hundreds of schoolchildren and other passengers.
Lynda Holder, the board’s manager of marketing and corporate communications, said: “As the Michaelmas term of the new school starts on Monday, the Transport Board has continued its preparations to ensure that a full contingent of buses is available that day”.
Holder explained that discussions about the details of the plan of action to ensure the buses were on the road had been ongoing with the external services providers for the past few months and the first day of school should see a roll-out of over 200 buses, including buses for school. This would ensure that all schools are serviced, she said.
Holder revealed that the Transport Board had seen a reduction in vandalism since the introduction of cameras in the buses.
“As part of its safety and security initiatives, the Transport Board is reminding all passengers, including schoolchildren, that the buses are equipped with cameras.
“These cameras are in place to act as a security and safety feature and any acts of vandalism or other deviant behaviours are recorded and persons will face the full force of the law,” said Holder The marketing and corporate communications manager pointed out that all students 18 years and under in the uniform of a recognized educational institution or with valid identification from one of these institutions would travel free during regular school hours.
In addition, she said, children younger than five years old must be accompanied by an adult, as drivers were not in a position to take responsibility for these children, and those under 11 years old were not allowed to occupy the back seats in the bus.
Holder further advised that the Transport Board operated its service across the island from 5 a.m. until 2:05 a.m. on most routes and the public could check the bus schedules or visit the board’s website at www.transportboard.com for any possible changes.
“We are therefore asking everyone, including parents, to give this very important facility your support and encourage your children to utilize the system, which is beneficial to you and them,” said Holder.
