THE short public transport bus routes service in Honiara is the main factor behind students’ and teachers’ lateness to school.
With the short bus route service, students find it difficult, especially in the morning, to get to school just on one bus. They have to get on two or even three different buses and that means paying a total of $6 or $9 to get to school instead of just $3.
Reginald Kiruwai, A form 5 student at Burns Creek Community High School in East Honiara residing at Vara Creek in Central Honiara told Solomon Star that, “The short bus route is one of the factors causing students’ lateness to school.”
He said currently all public transport buses serving the Central Market-Lunga route are more into short bus routes, leaving only a few to serve the full route.
“Every day, I leave home for school at 6am but unfortunately due to only few buses serving the full Central Market-Lunga route, I arrive at school between 9 and 10am.
“Sometimes we have to wait for almost three hours before getting on a bus and when I arrive at school its almost 10am or even past 10 am. That means missing two or three subject periods and that’s too many.
“As only a few buses are serving the route, the passenger demand for buses is high and I often have to fight my way through to secure a space,” Kiruwai added.
Solomon Star understands that many Honiara residents have called on the Honiara City Council (HCC) to address the short bus route issue but the problem seems far from over.
HCC law enforcement officers have been monitoring the short bus route recently but no effective measures have been taken to deal with the buses.
By FLOYD TERRY
Solomon Star, Honiara
