Commuters can expect to see some of the 33 new electric buses on the road from today, said Minister of Transport and Works Ian Gooding-Edghill.
The state-of-the-art buses, which are equipped with USB ports and Wi-Fi, climate control and are wheel chair accessible, were officially handed over today during a ceremony at the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium, Wildey, St Michael.
The electric buses arrived in Barbados on July 8 and were transferred to the Transport Board’s Weymouth Headquarters two days later.
Chief Executive Officer Fabian Wharton, who described it as “a historic moment in public transportation in Barbados” said it was a fitting present, two days from the entity’s 65th birthday. He said he heard the queries from Barbadians about the delay in getting the buses on the road.
“. . . but we could not as a responsible organisation allow this euphoria to create circumvention of the preparation and training that was required prior to deployment,” he said, explaining there was day and night time training for drivers, training for the maintenance and quality assurance staff and also for the fire and ambulance service.
Meanwhile, an emotional former Minister of Transport Dr William Duguid thanked all involved, calling it a “very long and difficult road”. He said they had to develop specifications for the Chinese company Build Your Dream because it had none for buses which are driven on the left side of the road.
Gooding-Edghill said the $45 million project included charging stations and the cost of training. He said the first buses would be deployed today and asked the public to treat them as their own.
Also present were China’s Ambassador to Barbados Yan Xiusheng, Minister in the Ministry of Transport Charles Griffith and permanent secretary Mark Cummins. (CA)
The audience included some of the crew who were trained in maintenance of the electic fleet.
