PTSC promises new Scarborough terminal

PTSC chairman Edwin Gooding said a new terminal will be constructed in Scarborough.  - DAVID REID
PTSC chairman Edwin Gooding said a new terminal will be constructed in Scarborough. - DAVID REID

Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) chairman Edwin Gooding has said a new bus terminal facility is to be constructed in Scarborough.

Speaking at the launch of the corporation's Explore Tobago: Know Your Country tours on October 4 at Fort King George, Gooding said the proposed facility will be constructed on the allocated parcel of land at Sangster's Hill. He added the last terminal building was deemed unsafe for employees and members of the public.

Gooding said the project will boost economic activity and create jobs for Tobagonians.

"Commuters in Tobago will enjoy a clean, safe, modern environment to await transportation service," he said. "Improvement in transportation will also be achieved as there will be an increased number of routes being serviced in the area."

Outlining a slew of initiatives aimed at modernising its operations, Gooding said the corporation recently awarded a contract for the provision of 25 buses, which are expected to be delivered by January 2020.

He said of the 25 buses, three have been earmarked for Tobago.

"This will ensure that the travelling public in Tobago has access to a reliable bus service."

The PTSC, Gooding said, is also upgrading its IT infrastructure to ensure a proper preventative maintenance schedule. He added this will ensure the long-term reliability of the fleet, thus resulting in improved service delivery to commuters.

Gooding said within the next fiscal year, PTSC intends to have commuters track their buses and keep informed of estimated arrival times at the various bus stops.

Saying PTSC is committed to developing its human resource at all levels, Gooding said internal and external training sessions are continuously provided to ensure the quality of service is that of a world-class transportation provider.

In keeping with Tobago's tagline of "green, clean, safe and serene," Gooding said the PTSC continues to make efforts to reduce the carbon footprint while running an environmentally-conscious operation.

To this end, he said the PTSC is in dialogue with the Institute of Marine Affairs as well as the Division of Infrastructure, Quarries and the Environment to dispose/repurpose some of its old units in a manner that will allow for their use in the creation of what he called artificial reefs.

"When the shells of our derelict buses are strategically deployed in the coastal environment, they will act as a substrate that will allow organisms to colonise. They will in turn create habitats that encourage the spawning of fish and ultimately form artificial reefs."

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