With the addition of 35 new electric buses to the fleet at the Transport Board, it is expected that Government’s vision of an improved transportation system will be realised.

This was underscored today by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Works, Santia Bradshaw, as she spoke with media representatives, at the Bridgetown Port, where the buses were assembled. “The Government of Barbados has procured the 35 buses, as it has indicated that it would do, to be able to allow for a more reliable, efficient and modern public transportation system,” said Ms. Bradshaw.

While noting that Government had invested $21 million in the new buses, she stated these now brought the number of buses under Government’s fleet to 121. Adding that it also brought the expenditure to date close to $58 million, since 2018, she pointed out that this was to ensure “we have a more efficient service that we can deliver to the general public.”

The DPM said: “Now it is our intention that these 35 buses being added to the fleet will help us to address the concerns of the general public, particularly in the Scotland District and a number of the central areas where we continue to hear the outcry from the Barbadian public, about public transportation. As many people are aware, if you don’t have the buses, it is difficult to be able to plot the routes.”

While noting that the elderly population and school children would continue to be a priority, she said by January 2026, Government intends to advertise by way of a Request for Proposals for a dedicated school bus system as well.

The Deputy Prime Minister explained, however, that the 35 buses would not be fully deployed into the Transport system by tomorrow, January 1, 2026, as they require   time to be able to put the cashless system into place, the digitization of the displays highlighting places where the buses would be going, the buses have to be registered and all charging infrastructure in place.

She noted too that Government anticipates over the course of the next few weeks in January there would be a full integration of these buses into the existing fleet of the public transportation system.

Following the brief ceremony, the buses made their way to Transport Board Weymouth headquarters to be fully charged and made ready for Barbadians to travel on, from next month.(PR/MTW)

Top Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Works (MTW) Santia Bradshaw, Permanent Secretary of MTW Jehu Wiltshire, Chief Executive Officer of the Transport Board Fabian Wharton and Chairman of the Transport Board Rene Butcher taking a tour of one of the new electric buses. (Photo by W. Murray/MTW)

(Photo by W. Murray/MTW)