AOPT wants to meet on back-to-school transportation plans

One of the island’s largest private sector transport organisations says it may have to re-adjust safety systems to facilitate the hundreds of children expected back on the streets with the scheduled resumption of face-to-face teaching on February 21.

It is against that background that the Alliance Owners of Public Transport (AOPT) is expressing disappointment at not being included in consultations for the planned return to the physical classrooms.

The AOPT, which represents a segment of owners and operators of public service vehicles (PSVs) as well as taxis, maxi taxis and hired car providers, is therefore requesting an “urgent” meeting with Minister of Transport and Works Santia Bradshaw and Minister of Education Kay McConney.

“With the opening of the face-to-face classes very shortly and the question as to whether there is enough public transport and the safety of school children onboard, I believe we have a right to meet with the ministry officials and the stakeholders to see if we are equipped and ready to welcome kids aboard our public transport,” Chairman of the AOPT Roy Raphael told Barbados TODAY on Thursday.

“We are happy to see a resumption of the face-to-face classes, but I believe from day-one, when discussions started about the reopening of schools, the associations that represent public service vehicles including my organisation and the other one, should be engaging in discussions with the Ministry of Education as well as with the Ministry of Transport and Works,” Raphael stated.

He said such inclusion would allow the representative PSV bodies to see how best they could facilitate the number of school children that would be back out to school.

“We move between 75 and 80 per cent of the travelling public. We would now have to re-adjust our transportation system in terms of accommodating more children in terms of the safety aspect of it,” the PSV spokesman pointed  out.

“A dialogue should have been held ever since with the various sectors including the transportation sector. I always argue that when it comes to public transport discussions, we are often left out. I am not sure what discussions they had with the government transport board, but you are looking at two entities, public and private,” Raphael added.

He said he was looking forward to a meeting with the ministers of transport and education to determine what the PSVs can do to ensure the school children adhere to the COVID-19 public health protocols while riding on their buses.

Raphael said he and his management team are especially anxious to meet with Minister Bradshaw.

“We have not yet been contacted. My association has a list of items we want to discuss with her. We represent all aspects of public transport which include the taxis, ZMs, owners and operators of PSVs as well as hired cars,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Association of Public Transport Operators (APTO) Kenneth Kenny Best said the return to the physical classroom by school children, has not yet engaged their attention.

“I will have to meet with my committee first and get back to you,” Best, an attorney at law and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly told Barbados TODAY.
emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb