‘No transportation issues’

It was smooth sailing today for the Transport Board as hundreds of school children returned to classes for the first time in six months.

Chief executive officer Fabian Wharton said while there were just a few hiccups, the state-owned entity had little difficulty in transporting students around the island on the first day of the Michaelmas term.

“Everything was like normal. You know that you will get one or two little challenges but nothing of significance. Everything went smoothly today,” Wharton said.

He said the recently acquired 33 electric buses went a long way in being able to fulfill the demands of school children and the general public.

“We have the electric buses, the other buses and we also have the TAP [Transport Augmentation Programme] vehicles, so with the full complement that we had today we were able to transport both the school children adequately and on time and the other commuters as well,” the CEO added.

Due to the blended approach being taken by the Ministry of Education, the number of school children utilizing the services of the Transport Board was greatly reduced.

However, Wharton said even though that was the case, the Transport Board was in a position to efficiently and effectively transport students whatever scenario was presented.

He said with students now going to school at different times it was important to ensure the Transport Board’s resources were properly allocated.

“We have not reduced the number of vehicles obviously, so although it is a blended approach as long as a child is going to a particular school you have to put things in place,” he noted.

He said in an effort to make sure everything ran smoothly, senior management of the Transport Board was stationed at different schools.

He said this was also done because of the COVID-19 protocols which have been put in place. (RB)