PTSC: more buses to come

Public Transport Service Corporation's (PTSC) acting general manager Davis Ragoonanan yesterday said cabinet had approved the purchase of 300 new buses which will improve the bus service significantly in TT.

Ragoonanan said PTSC is working to improve the availability and reliability through increasing the number of operational buses.

He said it is being done through repairs of existing buses, and acquiring of 50 buses by 2019.

"The global benchmark ratio of drivers to buses is 2.5. PTSC at this time is at 3.27, however, within this year we estimate that our fleet of buses would be in excess of 250 buses bringing the ratio to 2.5.

"PTSC will also be embarking on upgrading and modernising facilities in expanding the number of transit hubs."

Ragoonanan said funds have been allocated for facilities at Rio Claro and at Signal Hill Tobago.

He said PTSC’s buses have an average age of more than 12 years, whereas the global benchmark is five to eight years.

Asked about the cost to repair the defective buses, he said, "The cost will vary depending on the nature of the defect of the buses. However, the cost of these repairs will be within the budgeted allocation for the fiscal year. "

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"PTSC: more buses to come"

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