SCHOOL BUS FLEET STRENGTHENED AHEAD OF NEW ACADEMIC YEAR 

Basseterre, St. Kitts, Thursday, August 13, 2026: When students return to school on Sept. 07, they will do so with a much improved fleet of school buses, as the Ministry of Education continues its efforts to enhance transportation services for students across St. Kitts. 

A major development ahead of the new school year is the return of the Ministry’s largest school bus, which was out of service for much of the last academic year. 

The yellow Blue Bird school bus experienced a mechanical problem last school year, rendering it immobile. Following extensive investigation and collaboration with Elhydro, a Jamaican-based company, the cause of the problem was identified, and the necessary repairs completed, allowing the bus to return to service. 

The Ministry has also received a significant boost to its transportation fleet through the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), which gifted two electric buses to the Ministry of Education through the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis. 

The electric buses are equipped to accommodate persons with disabilities. They will primarily provide transportation for students of the Cotton-Thomas Comprehensive School (CTCS), while also being available to serve the wider community when necessary. 

Mrs. Lisa-Romayne Pistana, Permanent Secretary, said the Ministry’s fleet enhancement programme forms part of a broader effort to strengthen the safety and efficiency of student transportation. 

“The Ministry is also looking ahead to further improvements, with plans to replace two additional buses by next year. We are committed to ensuring that our transportation services keep pace with the needs of our students and the wider education sector. As part of this ongoing effort, we are also exploring the introduction of a monitoring system that will enhance student and driver safety while providing greater oversight of the fleet.” 

The Ministry’s continued investment in its school bus fleet is expected to provide students with more reliable transportation as the new school year begins, while the addition of the electric buses represents a step toward more accessible and sustainable transportation within the education sector.

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