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One bus is already on island, more to follow, says Torres
A pilot program for a public transportation system on Saipan may be expected in a few weeks, according to Gov. Ralph DLG Torres.
Torres said the delays are caused mostly due to the delivery of buses to Saipan. He did, however, said that bus stations have already been mapped out along Saipan.
“There are a couple things going on. One is the arrival of the bus[es], how many do we need to start the transportation [and whether] it’s for part-time or a pilot project,” said Torres.
A structure to house the buses have already been identified and funded at Lower Base, just north of the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.
“I hope within the next couple of weeks, we have a clearer understanding when to start,” he said, adding that bus stations have already been designated.
“We are just waiting for the other buses to arrive,” he added.
The proposed public transportation system will be under the Commonwealth Office of Transit Authority.
As of now, the proposed system has only one bus on island. Torres believes that it is more feasible to wait for more buses to arrive rather than have that one bus run the whole system by itself, making bus trips with a one-hour interval per route.
“We prefer to have two or three buses to lower the waiting period and to [provide] more services,” he said.
The new transportation system is the Commonwealth government’s answer to growing traffic congestion on the island, especially near schools, offices, and the Garapan tourist district.
According to Saipan Tribune archives, COTA is being assisted by the Department of Public Works in finalizing the public transportation system. DPW also handles traffic plans for the Garapan area, which has been seeing increased foot and vehicular traffic.
