Free bus service for students in city starts next week

The National Main Stories

By SAMUEL BARIASI
A FREE bus service for primary and secondary school students in the National Capital District will start from Monday, says Governor Powes Parkop.
He said 10 of the 40-seater buses acquired for the 2018 Apec Leaders’ Summit and now distributed by the Government to various bodies, would be used to transport the students to and from school.
“Getting our children to school on time in a safe environment has always been a challenge,” Parkop said.
The eight routes they will start off with, according to the city’s strategic planning manager Kemo Pepena-Guise, are:

  • Route 1 – Gordon to Bomana;
  • Route 2 – 7 Mile to Town;
  • Route 3 – Gordon to Taurama;
  • Route 4 – Gordon to Town through Badili;
  • Route 5 – Gerehu to Manu;
  • Route 6 – Gordon to Koki;
  • Route 7 – Waigani to Manu; and,
  • Route 8 – Gordon to Town; through the Poreporena Freeway

“The routes are basically in the clusters of the schools and the focus is to cover schools along the established routes,” she said.
Guise said the buses would pick up students at bus stops along the eight routes.
“We’ve scheduled for about three morning trips starting at 6.20am and three in the afternoon starting at 2.20pm,” he said.
“We will amend the route and schedules if we need to later on.”
Parkop said social distancing would be maintained by allowing only 20 to 30 students per trip.
He said more buses would be added later on to cater for all students in the city. “Our (public transport service) buses are inadequate,” Parkop said. “They don’t leave and arrive on time.
“And some of them are unsafe.
“Many of the buses are disgusting.
“The drivers and the crew are not clean and they chew betel nut and spit out the window.”
The National Executive Council recently endorsed that the education division in Port Moresby come under City Hall.

12 comments

  • Well done Parkop and team! Your efforts are worthwhile and commendable.

    God continue to bless you

    • The city hall must consider the incidence of school fights which are likely to increase with this arrangement. Rival schools are likely to be on the same bus traveling to and from school and may be an opportunity to start the usual school fights.

      It is suggested that city hall should therefore employ bus wardens to ensure school fights don’t happen.

  • We wish this is done in all the provinces. What about the cost of maintenance etc.???

  • Excellent initiative. Long term sustainability depends on maintenance of the Buses, which were donated without spare parts and extra tires. NCD team should contract a local automotive dealer to source basic service parts and tires and get the contractor to maintain the buses for NCD.

  • •Route 1 – Gordon to Bomana;
    •Route 2 – 7 Mile to Town;
    •Route 3 – Gordon to Taurama;
    •Route 4 – Gordon to Town through Badili;
    •Route 5 – Gerehu to Manu;
    •Route 6 – Gordon to Koki;
    •Route 7 – Waigani to Manu; and,
    •Route 8 – Gordon to Town; through the Poreporena Freeway

  • Good initiative Governor Parkop. We need strategist to come up with innovative plans to redirect the path that the pandemic sedan attack has caused.
    However, the operational cost and the labor cost of the operation will be met by NCDC or other partners.?
    On the other hand, great relieve on parents regarding issues of bus fare increases from normal fares.

  • Where is the other Governor of the Province?
    Do they have some of plan for the student in their province?

  • Well done Governor NCD and your team. God continue to bless your
    efforts and provide more wisdom for the benefits of our young &
    future leaders!!

  • School headmasters to make sure all the students have IDs.
    Police and schools administration must work together to ensure safety of every student is guaranteed
    Be alert on school fights,
    Use ticketing system

  • Share the buses with other main centres so they can ferry the students also, why only NCD, it that from NCD DSIP or PSIP?? over to concern people.

  • Excellent Job Parkop we are pleased with your initiative to bring good experience t your voters. Keep moving on despite challenges, it us the users of the services that will decide your fate in the ballot Box … God bless you..

  • credit to Hon. POWES PARKOP. In-regardless to your yoga issues, you still outstanding(ndc years back), unlike other governors,who were ncd governors.

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