The Government will save $1 million on hiring minibuses to supplement its buses as a full-schedule service becomes operational, the Minister of Transport said.

Wayne Furbert, the Minister of Transport, held a press conference at the Department of Public Transportation in Devonshire yesterday when he provided an update on advancements being made with the electric bus fleet and charging infrastructure.

He said there were an average of 85 buses running daily, enough to accommodate commuter and school runs.

Mr Furbert said: “In the early summer, we faced as few as 35 buses in operation on a given day, but today we are proud to announce that our daily 85-bus fleet is approaching a full-schedule service designed for 88 buses.

“In recent years, the inconsistency in available buses led us to rely on minibuses to meet school service demands.

“Since 2017, we engaged minibuses to transport students to and from specific schools. The extent of this engagement has varied but peaked at 65 daily runs.

“On Monday, January 2, 2024, the department achieved a major milestone by running a full commuter and school service for the first time in seven years.

“The discontinued use of minibuses has estimated $1 million in costs savings per annum.”

He said the service had been running smoothly with minimal cancellation and complaints demonstrating “a positive shift in reliability”.

Mr Furbert said that the achievements had been significantly influenced by the recent commissioning and operation of electric charging infrastructure.

He said the electric bus charging facility at the department headquarters at Fort Langton was nearing completion.

“The current capacity allows 52 buses to be charged simultaneously, a significant improvement from the previous capacity of four buses,” Mr Furbert explained.

“With the commissioning of four more chargers, another eight buses will be able to be accommodated by February 2024 resulting in a total capacity of 60 buses charging at the Fort Langton site.

“The Dockyard and St George’s depots have the capacity to charge eight buses each simultaneously.”

Asked if the present fleet could accommodate the tourists expected to arrive this season, bearing in mind the super-cruises that accommodate thousands of passengers, Mr Furbert said: ‘“I believe we can. Last year we had less electric buses. This year we are fully operational and are working on other things.”

Mr Furbert confirmed it was still the Government’s intention to transition to a full electric bus fleet but was unable to provide a timeline.

Out of the full fleet of 110 buses, 70 are electric at present.

Zaynab Brown, acting director of the department, confirmed that the issue of electric buses breaking down during heavy rain had been rectified.

Mr Furbert added: “I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the people behind me.

“Repair, servicing, inventory management, management support, bus operation and administrative sections have played a pivotal role in achieving these milestones.

“Our partnerships with the Department of Public Works, the Department of Energy and selected contractors have been vital to the advancement in the public transportation infrastructure.”

He said it was a “momentous victory” not just for the organisation but also for the country.