Thursday, March 11 2010

THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION and the Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) have begun a drive to install seatbelts in all 319 maxi taxis registered to transport students to and from school on a daily basis.

The ministry’s social support programme provides, along with free meals and textbooks, a free bus transport service on selected urban and rural routes. The annual cost of the service is $50 million.

In a statement, the ministry said that as of January 15, 134 maxi taxi owners from the North and 185 maxi taxi owners from the South, registered with the programme, were mandated to install seatbelts to ensure the continued safety of all students transported using the Maxi Taxi School Transport Service.

PTSC buses used to transport children are also fitted with seatbelts.

The move was a directive from Education Minister Esther Le Gendre in response to a 2009 accident involving students traveling in a maxi taxi where several students were severely injured, the ministry said.