Word is beginning to spread: the new ? and free ? Warwick Shuttle Service is going straight to the top.

The pilot shuttle bus system, a project between the Transport Ministry and the Public Transportation Board (PTB), began running earlier this week and is set to run for the next eight weeks.

The shuttle route currently starts in the parking lot at the Warwick Bowling Lanes, then makes its way through Khyber Pass to Spice Road. From Spice Road it continues on down Camp Hill to the Heron Bay MarketPlace, where it turns around to make the return trip ? a convenient turnaround for those wishing to purchase groceries.

Special bus stops have been set out along the way for the shuttle to stop at.

"It's about a ten minute run, although we allow for 15," said shuttle driver and retired bus operator Ashton Thomas, Sr.

The bus, which is used to ferry visitors up and down the hill to Horseshoe Bay Beach in the summer, is grey with the words "To the Top" written in yellow on the side. It can seat about twelve people when fully loaded.

If the Ministry decides to continue with the initiative, another shuttle will be purchased for the service once the Horseshoe Bay bus returns to its regular duties in the summer.

Though it was not full on Tuesday, word is already starting to spread about the shuttle. On Monday, the first day, only about ten or 12 people took advantage of the service, however on Tuesday the load was considerably higher.

"There have been more school kids than adults so far," said Mr. Thomas.

Students on the bus agreed, saying word had spread and more students were saying they had to try it out.

"I'm going to enjoy this," said one, settling back for the ride up Khyber Pass.

Though the bus was originally scheduled to run from Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., and then 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., the morning times have been pushed back 15 minutes to 6.45 a.m.

That was to get passengers to Heron Bay Marketplace in time for 7 a.m. buses travelling on the main road to Dockyard and Hamilton, explained Mr. Thomas.

Transport Minister and area MP Ewart Brown explained why the shuttle is being run in Warwick only. "Our decision to test this new service in Warwick stems from the fact that Warwick is one of the most densely populated parishes in Bermuda. It has a very vibrant community, complete with a shopping complex, several grocery stores and schools," he said.

"It is our hope to provide residents of Warwick with a shuttle service that will help them to accomplish all their day-to-day activities, and I hope they will support and take advantage of this new service."

When the service concludes in April, the PTB will run a data analysis test to see if it would be feasible to make it a permanent service.