‘Make public transport sexy’ with scheduling, revised bus fares says Caribbean expert

A prominent Caribbean traffic engineer and transportation consultant has told a Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) forum on tackling road congestion that the time has come to transform the public transportation sector by making it “sexy” for commuters and operators.

Managing Director of LF System, Dr Rae Julien Furlonge told the “Edge X by CDB: Unlocked – Stuck in Traffic: What Congestion Is Costing the Caribbean” that “until you make public transport sexy, it not going to draw you.”

He said the strategies must include a scheduled system for public buses.

He also said drivers need to get a proper fare or they would wait until they fill the vehicles before they leave.

“The first thing you have to get is that public transport could never become attractive without scheduling and you can never get scheduling unless the drivers get a good fare” he said.

Mr Furlonge said the approach of having lower fares was not workable and the peak and low volume of commuters has to be managed and integrated in the administration and development of public transport.

The expert discouraged the negotiation of bus fares between operators and the governing authority.

“That’s not how it works.”

Pointing out that public transport has to be administered, he explained that there is a system called a first mile from the bus terminal to the last stop.

CDB Acting Division Chief, Economic Infrastructure Division in the Projects Department, William Ashby said in a region where minibuses make up the bulk of the public transport system, perhaps there was need for more regulation for the “greater good.”

He said a regulatory framework must include the right compensation for small bus operators.

“They need to be able to earn a reasonable income for the service they provide but by enhancing regulation, looking at tariff structures that provide appropriate return for those business owners but, in turn, them recognising the changes that they also need to bring to the system to provide for a more efficient, reliable, affordable public service,” Mr Ashy said.

Meanwhile, Mr Furlonge also said the mix of public transportation vehicles must be suited to the communities that they serve.

That would also include the different categories of road users including school children and scheduling, referring to the situation in St Lucia.