An engineer from the Chinese builder of the new 30-strong electric bus fleet will be based in Bermuda for three months to help staff in their transition to the vehicles.

A government spokeswoman said: “The Ministry of Transport will ensure that the skills and knowledge of the Department of Public Transportation team are enhanced as part of this new initiative.

“An engineer from the Golden Dragon Bus Company will be based in Bermuda for three months after the buses arrive to support with commissioning and training of the Department of Public Transportation’s staff.

“Additionally the department’s technicians will participate in electric vehicle training online via the Institute for Motoring Industry in the UK and locally via the Bermuda College.”

The spokeswoman added that the ministry had made sure that the buses were “safe and are the highest-quality electric vehicles“.

She said: “The buses will be used according to their specifications and in accordance with the existing service standards for the DPT fleet.”

The spokeswoman added that a Hong Kong-based consultant was hired to help with pre-delivery inspections of the vehicles.

She said: “There were virtual meetings and presentations of the Xiamen electric bus inspections, which involved several DPT managers and technicians.”

Lawrence Scott, the Minister of Transport, earlier said that Xiamen Golden Dragon had completed pre-delivery inspections and was preparing the buses to be shipped from Shanghai to Bermuda.

They are expected to be on the roads by April 2022.