PTSC: NWRHA staff members first to get free rides

The Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) has allocated 20 buses to provide free trips for all medical members including doctors from all Regional Health Authorities. In an interview on Thursday, PTSC acting general manager Davis Ragoonanan said services for staff members at the North West Regional Authority (NWRHA) has started.

Ragoonanan said the other RHAs will soon come on board. “I know they are currently working to get North Central on board by this afternoon. But, very soon all the other RHA’s will follow," he said. Ragoonanan said the scheduled trips will be based on the shifts the hospital’s staffs are working and the service will be provided for all the shifts.

He said the buses will leave the respective terminals and the buses will also pick-up staff members at pick-up points along the route.

“So for instant, San Fernando coming into Port of Spain, there are pick-up routes along the highway which is something similar to the all-stop service. The buses will bring the staff to their place of work which will be at the hospitals.

“At the end of the shifts, the same thing will transpire, we will pick-up the staff at the hospitals, and wherever the pick-up points they want to go, they will be dropped off and the buses will end its shift back at the terminal. This will happen from Port of Spain, San Fernando and Sangre Grande.”

Ragoonanan said efforts are being made to get San Fernando and North Central different pick-up points worked out between the two operation departments and the team at the hospitals. He said there will be departures from Port of Spain, San Fernando, Arima and Sangre Grande.

“Sometimes it may work out that the same bus may do different trips but the buses will be departing from those areas I listed and it depends on the quantum.” Ragoonanan said the buses will carry approximately 30 passengers and will meet the demand as needed by the RHA’s.

“Once there are higher demands we will send more buses as required. The PTSC will provide any support we can to the RHA’s to make things easier for them during the covid19 pandemic in the country,” Ragoonanan said.