Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Works, Santia Bradshaw officially received 30 new electric buses, a donation from the People’s Republic of China, a move that will bring Barbados closer to its goal of providing a greener and more efficient public transportation service.
During a brief handover ceremony at the Barbados Port Inc. on Friday, April 11, 2025, the Transport Minister revealed the new fleet brings the Transport Board’s total number of electric buses to 89, the largest in the Caribbean. May 1, 2025, has been set as the target date for the new buses to be placed in rotation on the road, and it is anticipated they will help alleviate public transport challenges in rural parishes. Communities such as Connell Town and Josey Hill in St. Lucy; Saint Albans, St. James; Boscobel, St. Peter; Chalky Mount and Shorey Village, St. Andrew; as well as Bathsheba and Sugar Hill in St. Joseph should benefit from improved service when the new buses are deployed.
Extending thanks to the People’s Republic of China, Minister Bradshaw said the donation strengthens the growing relationship between the two countries. She indicated that the Chinese Government graciously provided spare parts for the buses, as well as 30 DC chargers which will facilitate faster charging. “The Chinese officials have also agreed to provide additional technical resources to the government of Barbados. The BYD team, [manufacturers of the buses] will shortly be opening their office in Barbados, which is another major accomplishment for this country. They will now be in a position to service faster the fleet of electric vehicles that we have on island, while at the same time providing that transfer of resources that is needed for our engineers and teams that are currently on island working with these vehicles,” she said, adding that one of the BYD technicians will assist specifically with charging infrastructure installation.
The Transport Minister further explained the preparation required for the buses to hit the road on May 1, 2025. “They have to be weighed, inspected, and registered. A number of the functions have to be installed on them such as the WiFi. The cashless system and fare boxes have to be installed in the vehicles. The cameras that we have been installing on the other vehicles also need to be put in place, and of course, we have to program the destination signs.”
Pointing out that the Transport Board’s transition to a fully electric fleet will result in the phasing out of the existing diesel buses, she said, “This allows us to bring down our expenditure on the maintenance costs of the diesel buses as well as fuel costs. That will go a long way, certainly over the next few months, and I think by the end of this financial year we should be in a substantial position to see the benefits financially of making the transition.”
As the country continues its quest to modernize its transportation sector, Minister Bradshaw revealed plans were well underway to acquire another 35 electric buses by the end of this financial year.
Liang Jie, Commercial Counselor of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Barbados said this donation was another landmark achievement in the friendship between the two countries “I am confident this new fleet of electric buses will make a meaningful contribution to Barbados’ carbon neutrality and contribute to public transportation, bringing plenty benefits to the Barbadian people, school students, and commuters,” he said. (Shamkoe Pilé/MTW)
