Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Jul 14, 2025

Slow start but govt's conditional shuttle service gaining momentum

Slow start but govt's conditional shuttle service gaining momentum

Despite a slow start to government’s free Park & Ride shuttle service which officially got underway a week ago, one local dispatcher is reporting that the initiative is quickly gaining momentum.

“The first few days we were still trying to get the word out. The third and fourth day, more and more people started to become aware of it, and yes they were taking advantage of it,” the shuttle operator Julio ‘Sam’ Henry told BVI News at the weekend.

“We have a culture of convenience, so if it seems to be an inconvenience to them (residents), they are not going to do it. But the challenge is when the government starts to force individuals to pay for parking spaces in town, it might be more convenient for them to take the Park & Ride,” added Henry, who said the service is not without its challenges.

In light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the shuttles are only allowed to carry half of their capacity.

Henry said, “there is a sitting configuration when you get on the buses so it limits the number of people that get on and where a customer should sit”.

A total of 12 shuttle operators are currently engaged in providing the service. Six operate one route and another six operates the other route. Henry explained that since shuttles are scheduled to leave the various designated standpoints every 15 minutes, two shuttles simultaneously start a route so passengers are properly serviced.


Regular taxis still make money

He further said the initiative - which allows residents to taxi free of charge to 41 locations between 6 am and 6 pm on weekdays - operates on two strict routes and persons are only allowed to board under certain conditions.

“For example, persons who are carrying extra loads in trying to get from let’s say, Rite Way or OneMart to their home, their home might be in Purcell, or Huntums Ghut. They are not permitted to get on the shuttle because they have too much stuff and would constitute them hiring a taxi and we don’t go off the route. So if somebody is just hopping off, let’s say they have groceries, they have a small bag or something in their hands, or they grab lunch, they can get on the shuttle,” he explained.

“So the [regular] taxi stands still make money. With my taxi stand, the BVI Taxi Association, we had about on average 25 to 30 calls each day for the week. It seems to be working itself out,” he added.


Identifying the shuttles

To identify the shuttles, residents are required to look out for the signs to the front or either side of these buses.

The signs don’t only indicate what buses provide the service but also indicates which routes they operate. There is a ‘yellow route’ and a ‘green route’ and buses will either be marked with the letters ‘G’ for green or ‘Y’ yellow.

READ: Shuttle routes and designated stops

Minister of Transportation, Kye Rymer said the service is a part of government’s efforts to create a pedestrian-friendly Road Town. The service is offered as a COVID-19 economic stimulus package to taxi operators who drive the respective shuttle buses.

The value of the taxi stimulus is one million dollars.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
×