CABINET is increasing the fleet of Public Transport Corporation Service (PTSC) buses to 300 to ensure that all routes in Trinidad and Tobago “are properly attended to.”
This according to Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan in responding to a question in the Lower House on Wednesday.
He was answering a question posed by Couva North MP Ravi Ratiram. It read: Given recent protest action by PTSC workers, will the Minister indicate what steps are being taken by PTSC’s management to ensure a safe and efficiently run fleet of buses for the travelling public?
Sinanan said, “PTSC in conjunction with the Licensing Division conducts annual inspection of its buses. Additionally, PTSC Engineering Department conducts a daily check of its buses.
“After every trip, a first line checklist is carried out by the mechanics and electricians, which includes brakes, fuel, suspension, etcetera. Once the buses are cleared, it is dispatched. If not, it is taken out of service and sent for repairs prior to being placed back online.”
Oropouche MP Dr Roodal Moonilal asked about the number of routes that are not being serviced due to the lack of maintenance of the PTSC fleet.
Sinan said, “The amount of routes that have been serviced and not been serviced has nothing to do with the lack of maintenance, it has to do with the lack of buses on the route.”
Moonilal the enquired, “So at this time, you don’t have any buses now that are down and due for maintenance that could be on the road?”
Sinanan said, “The maintenance of buses is an ongoing exercise, at all points in time you’ll have buses down for maintenance. The problem that PTSC face with is the amount of buses and that is why the Cabinet of the country took a decision a year ago to increase the fleet by 300 buses.
“That will give the adequate number of buses to ensure that all the routes are properly attended to.”
