Public Works officials inspected 22 new VITRAN buses in Kansas and Canada this week as work on them nears completion.
Public Works Commissioner Darryl Smalls spent several days on the mainland this week conducting final inspections of 10 new heavy-duty VITRAN buses being manufactured at National Bus Sales in Ontario, Canada, that are headed to the territory in the next month and a half. The buses, which totaled $4.7 million, were paid for by Federal Highway Administration funds. St. Thomas and St. Croix will each see four new buses added to the V.I. transit system while two buses will run the route on St. John. (See Related Links below)
This week, Smalls is at the El Dorado National plant in Salinas, Kan., conducting similar inspections of 12 medium-duty buses that will soon be added to the V.I. bus routes in both island districts. The smaller buses, which totaled $2 million, were provided through Federal Transit Administration funding.
The buses should arrive in the Virgin Islands within the next 30-45 days.
What is the reason that St John can’t get smaller buses to go with our smaller ridership? How about smaller buses to go with a more frequent and reliable bus schedule so that working people can get to work on time? Why do they constantly put over sized, accident-waiting-to happen buses that are loud enough to wake the dead on our narrow roads starting at 5 a.m.? Is it because our local government really doesn’t have to pay for them and they can do double duty in STT if needed? Maybe Mr Smalls could investigate some grant money for hybrid or electric vehicles that other municipalities get while traversing National Park lands.