PHILIPSBURG:--- Demissionair Minister Lyndon Lewis has signed several Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with bus operators providing school transportation services on St. Maarten. These agreements aim to standardize and improve the management of school bus services on the island.
The SLAs are comprehensive and address key issues such as:
• Established routes
• Standards for both buses and drivers
• Responsibilities regarding bus operations and the supervision of students
• Remuneration and insurance requirements
• Other relevant operational matters
In addition to the signing of the SLAs, Minister Lewis is also pleased to announce that the Council of Ministers has approved the introduction of the Student Transportation Management System. This system is designed to bring structure and efficiency to student transportation, which has become increasingly expensive and challenging to control.
"Over the years, school busing has become costly, averaging over NAF 4.5 million annually, with the potential to increase. This is largely due to a lack of proper structure and insufficient staff to carry out the necessary controls," said Minister Lewis.
The new Student Transportation Management System will address these challenges by streamlining the administration and management of school bus services. However, Minister Lewis stressed that several administrative processes still need to be completed before the system is fully implemented.
The Ministry remains committed to ensuring a safe, efficient, and structured transportation system for students across St. Maarten, and the signing of these SLAs and the introduction of the Student Transportation Management System are important steps towards achieving that goal.
