Transport Minister Renward Wells yesterday announced that his ministry has agreed in principle with the United Transportation Company Limited to a Unified Public Transportation Project for Route 17 expected to launch next week. 

He added that the public transit service will operate along with this fixed route,  according to a predetermined schedule.

He said, “the service will be provided by modern, clean buses; and users will board buses at designated bus stops or at other locations as directed by the Ministry along the route.”

The services will operate seven days a week; from 6am to 8pm with buses operating every 15 minutes.  

Five of them are projected to operate this pilot based on a 60 to 75-minute roundtrip time.

“A fare will be charged for all trips taken on the transit service. The fare structure is applicable to each one-way trip and applies to all customers. All fares are by exact change cash on a ‘pay as you enter’ basis.”

He added, “fares must be deposited by the customer into a fare-box on the bus. Bus drivers may not handle or deposit fares on behalf of customers except when the customer is unable to do so due to a disability.”

The Ministry of Transport, he said, will reserve the right to alter the fare levels for the pilot project, the fare structure, introduce fare zones  and to offer fare reductions or introduce alternate fare payment method as it deems appropriate.