SPTC brings in new, powerful buses for hilly areas |28 July 2012

The Seychelles Public Transport Corporation (SPTC) yesterday launched 17 of these new Tata buses at its depot on Latanier Road.

The new buses – which are 30 seaters and 35 seaters – have more power to climb steep roads and can negotiate curves better and able to approach kerbs better than the previous models.

The launch ceremony yesterday morning was done in the presence of SPTC chief executive Geffy Zialor and a number of SPTC staff.

Father Louisson Bissila from the Plaisance church was present to bless the new buses and led prayers where he asked that all those who travel in the buses are kept safe.

Mr Zialor said they are working on evaluating the demand for such areas from the public and if need be, increase the frequency that buses pass through these areas.

“We have our current established schedule but we will also listen to customer complaints, monitor our hotline, and work with district authorities so that we know where and how to adjust our services where necessary,” he said.

“There is certainly a demand for hilly roads and we are making sure that we have the correct type of buses to tackle these roads with.”

Twelve buses will now be removed from operation, mainly the first 713 and 1512 models, and Mr Zialor said that some of them – hopefully around half of that number – will be refurbished and will eventually be returned to operation.

Speaking about vandalism on the company’s buses, Mr Zialor said they had noted a decrease in this offence, but that there have also recently been reports of it rising again.

“We have noticed that it is not only members of the public committing these offences, but also schoolchildren, and we are appealing to them not to deface our buses, especially since it costs us so much to repair them afterwards,” he said.

Two of the buses will also be sent to Praslin for the Praslin Transport Corporation and Mr Zialor said that although the company has a good fleet of buses, it will also remove some of the older ones from operation, but only after a thorough evaluation of the situation.
The buses have cost the company a total of R11.8 million.