BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
Students in Honiara are urged to wear their school uniforms before they board the newly launched Honiara City Council (HCC) school buses, as the city rolls out an expanded public transport service that aims to improve access to education for students.
HCC City Clerk, Justus Dennis confirmed yesterday that a strict “no uniform, no boarding” rule will be enforced on the four Tata buses that began operations yesterday.
“The four buses have commenced operations. However, students are advised to wear their uniforms prior to pick-up and drop-off. No uniform, no boarding,” Mr Dennis said in an interview.
The buses were handed over to HCC by the Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID) and are part of a fleet donated by the Government of India in 2023 to support the successful hosting of the Pacific Games.
The city council is now responsible for managing and operating the vehicles to serve school children within the Honiara city boundary.
Dennis said that the new service is open to all primary and secondary school students in Honiara, including Early Childhood Education (ECE) students and is not limited to HCC-managed schools.
He said that the buses will operate along Honiara’s main road, covering both eastern and western routes.
He said that morning pick-ups will run from 6am to 9.30am, with afternoon services resuming from 12.30pm to 4.30pm.
A fare of $2 per student has been set to help cover operational costs according to HCC.
Dennis said the committee will continue to monitor the service and make adjustments where necessary.
He said the initiative is expected to ease transportation challenges faced by many students and improve punctuality and attendance for students across the capital.
He said that each bus has a maximum capacity of 45 students, allowing the fleet to transport up to 180 students per trip cycle.
To ensure smooth implementation, HCC has established a school bus management committee tasked with overseeing operations, finalising routes and schedules, and developing guidelines for parents and students.
The current arrangement is considered a trial phase. If demand increases, the government may consider procuring additional buses to expand the service.
Photo: Supplied
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