- by Mr. Jared-Marc Tangwell and Mr. Anthony Dick It is undeniable that public transportation plays a fundamental role in the social and economic development of a county. In the Caribbean, and other developing countries, a core part of the public transportation system in the minibus. These privately owned, public transportation modes have found a home in almost every island. From the jitney in the Bahamas to the maxi taxi in Trinidad, these minibuses provide a service that captive travellers completely depend on daily Bahamian Jitney (photo credit). Trinidad maxi taxi (photo credit) The minibus is the most common type of public transportation mode in the Caribbean. These are reported to be more popular and reliable than the government owned bus, if such a mode even exists in the county. In islands such as St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts and Nevis, Guyana and Haiti, there is no state-owned public transportation available and the minibus is the prevalent mode, if not the only mode. Haitian tap tap (photo credit) Guyanese minibus (photo credit) Despite the Caribbean islands being unique, it is interesting to observe that the minibus culture has developed in largely the same way. Common characteristics of this culture is reckless driving, colourful language and a generally unsafe system. Although these modes enhance mobility in these countries, the quality of services is often unsatisfactory to users. Despite the challenges that present with para-transit, its advantages should not be overlooked. Paratransit systems are privately owned and are profit driven. Thus, operators will try to make as many trips as possible, in addition to sometimes owning multiple vehicles. Thus, routes tend to be establishing by the demand for service. Furthermore, the number of vehicles operating on a route, increase the frequency of the modes, making it more efficient than the government-owned mode. From the operators’ perspective, it provides opportunities of employment to poor or low-skilled workers thus stimulating socioeconomic growth. Although it does not require large amounts of governmental investment; it can be further incentivized in order to improve the performance through infrastructural development or gas subsidies. Additionally, Due to the unscheduled nature of the system, paratransit systems have much more freedom in the coverage, hours or operation and routes than traditional state-owned systems. This allows for a much more tailored-for-demand approach for the users. The minibus also meets the deficiencies of the government transportation system which at times s does not efficiently service the less densely populated areas. In spite of the negative culture that the minibus has developed over the years, it is still one of the most popular modes in the Caribbean. The minibus serves those captive travellers who don’t have access to private vehicles, and in some cases, is still the chosen alternative, to avoid driving in traffic. Some useful areas of research to help improve the public transportation system are; 1. Methods of improving the public perception of both the minibus system and the government-owned public transit system (where applicable), and whether this improve perception results in increased ridership 2. Will introducing a standard baseline salary for minibus drivers assist in decreasing the reckless driving and overcrowding in vehicles? 3. The feasibility of incorporating a cashless pay system where you pay once at the start of your trip (be it home to work, or work to home), regardless of the number of modes you have to use to reach your destination (for example,in Trinidad some individuals have to use both a maxi taxi and a route taxi to travel from home to work). With the necessary government intervention on the management of these modes, the public transportation system of the different Caribbean islands could be dramatically improved, with a framework built on the use of these minibuses. Barbados minibus (photo credit)
40 Comments
Emily
6/1/2020 08:54:23 am
If minibuses are so vital, why restrict its purchase, sale and transfer?
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Leah
6/1/2020 09:50:15 am
Hi Emily, Thank you for your comment.
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Trevor
6/1/2020 06:38:04 pm
Maybe those who regulate these mini-buses do not see them as a legitimate part of the transportation system. Their efforts are more about traffic control than the provision of mobility services for the population. There are no data-based analyses on what should be the optimal levels of supply. 8/1/2022 04:21:03 am
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