PUBLIC transport bus service in Honiara is becoming a great concern as the service providers continue to defy Honiara City Council (HCC) orders for the discontinuation of short bus route services.
Public transport bus commuters, especially workers and students, find it very challenging especially in the morning to get on just one bus to their desired destination and arrive on time at work and school due to the short bus route services run by the buses. As a result, they have to get on two or three different buses to get to work and school on time and this means they have to pay two or three different bus fares.
Public transport buses are capitalising on the limited number of public transport buses and the high demand for public transport bus services due to Honiara’s high population rate to make extra money in defiance of HCC orders.
A concerned public transport bus commuter residing at Borderline in East Honiara told Solomon Star that the short bus route is a ‘disease’ and HCC and Honiara residents need to get rid of before it kills everyone financially.
He said one of the buses operating along the Borderline- SDA route is charging a commuter $500 for the short distance and it is time that HCC and other relevant authorities seriously address the short bus route situation.
“As far as we know, the regulated bus fare for an adult per destination within Honiara City is $3 and students $2 and am just dumbfounded that this particular bus is charging per commuter $5 for just this short bus route distance.
”Furthermore, there is no quality service provided nowadays by our public transport buses. These people are reaping us with their short bus routes.
”It’s time to get some things straight and the relevant authourities must intervene. The situation causes lateness to students at school and workers at their offices. And not only students and workers are affected, but everybody else. People get late for their medical appointments and events they need to attend,” the concerned commuter said.
HCC Law Enforcement Officers have been monitoring the short bus route recently but no effective measures have been taken to address the problem and it is continuing to affect Honiara residents.
This situation has prompted some commuters and leaders to raise the idea of HCC procuring big buses to provide public transport service to the city’s residents instead of relying on private entrepreneurs to provide this essential service.
By ULUTAH GINA
Solomon Star, Honiara
