Good morning members of the media,

As we learn to Live with Covid, the Department of Public Transportation (DPT) will transition back to the 2019 level of student transportation services. This means that students using public buses will see changes as they go to and from school.

Over the last two years, under an established COVID protocol, the DPT provided minibuses to transport students directly to and from school. Students were collected and dropped off at the nearest bus stop to their homes or destination.

In preparation for the start of the school year, we ask that parents, students and educators view or download the 2022/23 School Year Bus Schedule, which can be found on gov.bm/bus and will be posted in the schools.

With respect to the school transportation passes, the Ministry of Education will disseminate the passes to the students at the start of the school year. A grace period will be recognized to allow ample time for every student to obtain their pass.

Effective 12 September 2022, public buses will provide school bus service on weekday mornings and afternoons for the upcoming school year. The return of the pink and blue school bus service is a direct result of the thirty (30) electric buses added to the fleet earlier this year and the ongoing concentrated effort to recruit bus operators.

Even with the extra thirty buses, the DPT will not have the required eighty-eight (88) for the winter schedule. However, the Department will use minibuses to assist some of the school runs to compensate for the shortfall of resources. Once the electrification plan of the bus fleet is in its second year, it is anticipated that the public buses will resume full school bus service.

Currently, the DPT is operating with approximately sixty (60) buses daily. Since receiving the thirty (30) new buses, the Department has not seen mass cancellations like what was experienced last year. It will make every effort to ensure that the current level of public bus service, with little to no cancellations on most days, continues as we transition back to the pink and blue school bus service.

The Department looks forward to providing consistent and reliable service to ensure that our students commute safely.

For more information, contact the Department of Public Transportation at 292-3851 or email at info@dpt.bm