Name of Public Authority:   Department of Public Transportation (DPT)

Introduction: 

The purpose of the Public Access to Information Act 2010 is to make Government Departments more accountable and open by giving the public access to information, subject to exceptions that are in the public interest. Its purpose is to:

1. Give the public the right to obtain access to information held by public authorities to the greatest extent possible, subject to exceptions that are in the public interest or for the protection of the rights of others;
2. Increase transparency, and eliminate unnecessary secrecy, with regard to information held by public authorities;
3. Increase the accountability of public authorities;
4. Inform the public about the activities of public authorities, including the manner in which they make decisions; and
5. Have more information placed in the public domain as a matter of routine.

In accordance with Section 5 (1) of the Public Access to Information Act 2010, the Department of Public Transportation (DPT) is required to prepare an Information Statement. This statement provides an overview of information on the Department of Public Transportation and includes the following:

1. A description of the structure and organization and the governing legislation;
2. A description of the functions, powers, duties and obligations;
3. A summary of services and programs;
4. A description of the records that are held;
5. A description of the manuals used by employees in administering or carrying out the programs and activities;
6. A description of the policies, rules and guidelines to make decisions or recommendations in respect to any person; and
7. The name and contact information in the event that a member of the public wishes to access information.

Section A: Structure, Organization and Legislation [s5(1)a]

The Department of Public Transportation functions under the Ministry of Tourism & Transport, Culture & Sport and operates in five sections, which are Administration, Operations, Maintenance, Inventory Management, and Management Support.

[ZB1]

The Public Transportation Board, the precursor to the current Department of Public Transportation, was established under the Public Transportation Act 1951. This enabling Legislation was amended in 2007 to change the board into a department of the Bermuda Government.

Legislation

• Public Transportation Act 1951

• Omnibus (Fares) Regulations 2024

• Omnibus (Conduct) Regulations 2012

Section B: 1) Functions, powers, duties of the Authority [s5(1)b]

Administration

The Administration Section consists of four posts: Director; Assistant Director  Operations; Assistant Director, Technical Services and Departmental Comptroller. The functions of the Administration team are to:

1. Develop bus transportation services and programs;
2. Recruit, develop, manage and empower personnel;
3. Procure, maintain, repair and manage resources, such as: vehicles, tools, equipment and plant;
4. Develop policies, procedures and strategic planning;
5. Manage financial reporting, compliance, control, budgeting, and planning;
6. Manage the operation of the services and programs;
7. Publish services, fares and alterations to services and fares;
8. Print and issue time tables;
9. Analyze data to derive decisions; and
10. Provide a safe and healthy plant, vehicles, tools, equipment, policies and procedures.

Operations

The Operations Section is responsible for delivering the bus transportation service and is made up of nine posts: Operations Manager; Assistant Operations Manager; Assistant Operations Manager, Charters; Traffic Supervisor; Administrative Assistant; Dispatch Inspector; Driver Trainer, Sightseeing Coordinator and Bus Operator. The functions of the Operations team are to:

1. Deliver the daily scheduled service, school service, sightseeing, charters and special bus operations;
2. Evaluate bus routes to facilitate viability and create alternate routes when necessary;
3. Liaise with the Department of Public Works for the placement, removal or repair of a bus stop and bus shelter;
4. Recruit, develop, manage and empower personnel; 
5. Log, facilitate the collection of lost and found items and dispose of unclaimed items; and
6. Receive, research and respond to public feedback.

The powers of the Operations team include:

1. Require a fare to ride on a bus or a charge to charter a bus;
2. Require that an adult leave an omnibus or Department facility for refusing to pay the fare as a passenger of a bus, smoking, loitering, and/or being improperly dressed;
3. “…Require owners or occupiers of land to cut branches of trees or cut or remove any vegetation which obscures or is likely to damage a notice placed, erected or marked” by the Department;
4. If the person fails to cut or remove any vegetation as described in point 1, the Department may do so; and
5. An authorized Department officer may enter any land near to or connecting to a bus stop to place, repair or remove a notice or to cut or remove vegetation that is obstructing a notice placed by the Department.

Maintenance

The Maintenance Section ensures that the vehicles, tools, equipment and plant are in working order and consists of sixteen posts: Maintenance Manager, Assistant Maintenance Manager, Depot Foreman, Supervisory Craft Foreman, Technician, Tradesman 1A, Tradesman 1, Tradesman 2, Semi-skilled Tradesman, General Helper, Janitor, Battery Man, Tire Man, Day/Night Cleaner, and Temporary Labourer. The functions of the Maintenance team are to:

1. Repair vehicles, tools, equipment and plant;
2. Conduct preventative maintenance on all buses and support vehicles;
3. Fuel DPT buses and support vehicles and other vehicles within the Government fleet;
4. Secure the vehicles, tools, equipment and plant;
5. Prepare and maintain records on vehicle performance, cost and repair;
6. Ensure the testing and licensing of all vehicles;
7. Recruit, develop, manage and empower personnel;
8. Manage the apprenticeship programme in conjunction with the National Training Board; and
9. Clean vehicles, tools, equipment and plant.

Inventory Management

The Inventory Management Section procures the vehicles, tools and equipment needed to operate the bus service. There are four posts in this section: Procurement and Inventory Manager, Purchasing Officer, Storekeeper and Cleaner. The functions of the Inventory Management team are to:

1. Purchase items needed to support the activities of the department;
2. Process customs clearance documentation and payment;
3. Oversee shipping, delivery, and receipt of goods;
4. Store and control inventory;
5. Communicate and manage warranty information;
6. Secure Stores areas;
7. Create and maintain records on vehicles, tools, equipment, and inventory;
8. Manage the process of obsolescence; and
9. Manage annual inventory count.

Management Support

The Management Support Section consists of ten posts, which are: Office Manager, Project Officer, Assistant Office Manager, Accounts Assistant, Administrative Assistant, Internal Communications Clerk, Receptionist, Cashier, Vault Puller, and Messenger. The functions of the Management Support Section are:

1. Manage accounts payable;
2. Manage accounts receivable;
3. Purchase, store and secure fare media;
4. Sell and manage vendor bulk sales of fare media;
5. Manage disposal process of fare media;
6. Count, sort and process fare, depositing cash daily for the Department of Public Transportation and Marine and Ports Services; 
7. Manage internal and external communication; and
8. Responsible for administrative, receptionist and clerical duties.

Mission Statement

Moving Bermuda with a quality bus service.

Department Objectives

1. To deliver a convenient and cost-effective daily service.

2. To ensure buses operate reliably according to the published schedule.

3. To maintain the fleet in accordance with technical specifications and industry standard timeframes.

4. To ensure buses are continually safe and comfortable for passengers and employees.

5. To transition the public bus fleet from diesel to electric by 2030.

6. To promote the increasing use of Digital Fare Media.

Section B: 2) Obligations under PATI Act [s5(1)b]

To provide an information statement for the public and promulgate it [s5],

• To provide other information to the public so that the public needs only to have minimum resort to the use of the Act to obtain information [s6]. This includes:

  • General information, e.g. activities of the Authority

  • Log of all information requests and their outcome

  • Quarterly expenditure (upon request) [s6(5)]

  • Contracts valued at $50,000 or more.

• To respond to information requests in a timely manner [s12-16]

• To track information requests, and provide this data to the Information Commissioner

• To respond to requests from the Information Commissioner [s9]

• To amend personal information held by the Authority that it is wrong or misleading following a written request by the person to whom the information relates [s19]

• To conduct an internal review if formally requested [part 5]

• To give evidence for review by the Information Commissioner [part 6, 47(4)], or for judicial review [s49], if required

• To provide an annual written report to the Information Commissioner of the status of information requests [s58 (3)].

• To do anything else as required under the PATI Act and subsequent Regulations [s59, 60], including:

  • Fees for Requests for information

  • Management and maintenance of records

  • Procedures  for administering the Act

• To train staff and make arrangements so as to facilitate compliance with the Act [s61]

• To designate an officer to be the person to whom requests are directed [s62]

Section C: Services and Programmes [s5(1)c]

Services

DPT operates an eighteen (18) hour schedule from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. for 365 days a year. The specific services are:

• Eleven (11) bus routes;

• Daily commuter service during the week;

• School bus service;

The services provided, include:

1. Daily Commuter Service: Daily Commuter Service is scheduled service to the island by way of eleven (11) routes. The cost to travel is defined by two zones. A three (3) zone fare for an adult is $3.50 in cash, $2.75 in tokens, and $25.00 in tickets (Tickets are sold in booklets of 15. Individual sale is strictly prohibited). A fourteen (14) zone fare for an adult is $5.00 in cash, $4.50 in tokens, and $37.50 in tickets. For children that are not students in Bermuda, the 3 and fourteen zone fare is the same at $2.75 and the tickets are $9.50. Passes covering both zones may be purchased at the following rates:

Adult

1-Day - $19.00

2-Day – $31.50

3-Day – $44.00

4-Day – $48.50

7-Day – $62.00

Monthly – $69.00

3 Months – $169.00

Children

1-Day - $9.50

2-Day – $16.00

3-Day – $22.00

4-Day – $24.50

7-Day – $31.00

Children under age 5 and Bermuda Seniors with a Special Person’s ID travel for free.

1. School Bus Service: School Bus Service is free to full-time students in Bermuda and Bermudians who are not above the age of 18 and who are student overseas. All buses servicing school routes must be clean and in good working condition. At times, public buses are supplemented with minibuses due to shortages in manpower or vehicles. If service cannot be delivered to a school, notice is given to the respective school by way of a telephone call, subsequent voicemail message and an email to the administrative office of the school.

Hours of Operation

Central Terminal Information Booth

Sells tickets, tokens and passes and provides information on the bus system.

Hours of full kiosk operation:

            Monday to Friday from 7:15 am to 7:00 pm

            Saturdays from 8:00 am to 6:30 pm

            Sundays and Holidays from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm

DPT Headquarters

Hours of full office operation:  

Monday to Friday from 8:45 am to 5:00 pm

Hours of full supervisory office operation: 

Monday to Sunday from 8:45 am – 8:00 pm

Programmes:

Digital Fare Media

Digital Fare Media is an easy and efficient way of paying bus fare. Passengers will be encouraged to download the Shorelink mobile app from the comfort of their home, to purchase fare, plan trips, and monitor bus locales.

Capital Replacement - Buses

DPT requests funding to purchase replacement buses on an annual basis. New buses serve to reduce the weighted average age of the fleet and increase fleet reliability by providing for the retirement of buses that are less reliable and increasingly costly to maintain. As of 2024, DPT has 70 electric buses in its fleet. With continued investment over the next few years, the fleet of buses is on track to be 100% electric by 2030.

Apprentice Programme

DPT sponsors the technical development of Bermudians via a cooperative arrangement with the National Training Board. Employee placement within the Department upon completion is not guaranteed; however, the objective of the programme is to provide the technical knowledge and experience to every participant so that they are marketable for the desired post, whether it is in the private or public sector. 

Transit Ambassador Programme

The Transit Ambassador Programme is a customer service training course that originates from the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) and is facilitated by a trained officer in the Department. All frontline staff will be trained in the principles of good customer service as outlined in this course which is specifically designed for transportation providers.

Section D: Records and documents held [s5(1)d]

• Public Bus Schedule

• School Bus Schedule

• Charter Tariff

• Traffic Supervisor Survey

• Accident Records

• Incident Reports

• Financial Records

Section E: Administration (all public access) manuals  [s5(1)e]

• Summer and Winter Roster Books

• Daily Orders and Weekly Instructions

• Bus Operators’ Handbook

• The Master Scheduler Daily Operations Manual

• Service Standards Policy

• Transit Ambassador Training Guide

• Driver Trainer Handbook

• Training Handbook

• Cashier Handling Procedures

• Traffic Supervisors Training Manual

• Traffic Supervisors Handbook

• Operations Manager Training Guide

• Bermuda Cruise Ship Schedule

• The Master Scheduler Training Manual

• Work Change Form

• Incident Report

• Financial Instructions

• Approved Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure

• Government of Bermuda Conditions of Employment and Code of Conduct

• An Agreement between the Bermuda Government and the Bermuda Public Services Union

• An Agreement between the Bermuda Government and the Bermuda Industrial Union

• Dignity at Work Policy and Complaints Procedure

• Inventory Count Procedures

Section F: Decision-making Documents  [s5(1)f]

Decision Making Criteria for Bus Runs

New bus runs are determined by the anticipated demand in a developing area. Eight people must consistently travel on a new bus run for the defined test period before the run is established.

• Bus Operators Handbook

• Government of Bermuda Conditions of Employment and Code of Conduct

• An Agreement between the Bermuda Government and the Bermuda Public Services Union

• An Agreement between the Bermuda Government and the Bermuda Industrial Union

• Dignity at Work Policy and Procedures

• Financial Instructions

• Code of Practice for Project Management and Procurement

• File Maintenance in Central Filing

• Managing a File for the Purchase of Goods and Services

• Storm Policy

• Accommodations for Stormy Weather Conditions

• Substance Abuse Policy

• Statement of Occupational Safety and Health Policy

• Occupational Safety and Health Terms of Reference

• DPT Emergency Procedures

• Emergency Contacts

• Departmental Evacuation Plan

• Procurement Evaluation Matrix

Section G: The Information Officer [s5(1)g]

Zaynab Brown

Departmental Comptroller 

Department of Public Transportation

26 Palmetto Road

Devonshire

DV 05

Direct: 441-279-2201

Telephone: 441-292-3851 ext. 2201

Fax: 441-292-9996

Email Direct: zabrown@gov.bm

Section H: Any Other Information  [s5(1)h]

Street Address:

DPT Headquarters        Dockyard Depot        Central Terminal                St. George’s Terminal

26 Palmetto Road        Pender Road              Washington Street           Old Military Road

Devonshire DV05         Sandys                         Hamilton                            St. George

Mailing Address:

P. O. Box HM 443

Hamilton HM BX

Bermuda

Telephone:

(441) 292-3851

Contact Forms:

For Compliments, Complaints, Comments, Suggestions, and Information: 

Shore Link Contact Form: http://www.shorelink.bm/contact  

Feedback Form (or QR code): https://forms.gov.bm/Feedback-App 

Website:

www.gov.bm/bus [ZB2]  or www.shorelink.bm/

Bus Fleet

Buses are identified by the license plate number, whereby the first two or three characters indicate the year that the bus was received and the last two digits specify the order in which the bus was received, e.g., bus 2220 was delivered to the Department in the year 2022 and was the twentieth bus received during the procurement process. 

Steps to Access Information from the Department of Public Transportation

1.   Put your PATI request in writing and deliver it to the Information Officer or the Receptionist at DPT Headquarters. Requests will not be accepted at any other facility.

2.   Prove to the Information Officer or the Receptionist that you are:

a.   a Bermudian by displaying an official Government of Bermuda issued picture identification, such as: Bermuda Passport, Driver’s License, Special Person’s Card or Voter’s ID Card

b.   a Bermuda Resident by displaying an official Government of Bermuda issued picture identification, such as: Driver’s License, Passport along with a work permit, utility bill or Immigration letter.

3.   All fees incurred by the request [s59] must be paid at the DPT Reception Desk or at the Government Cashiers’ Desk in the Government Administration Building on Parliament Street, Hamilton, before the request is processed.

PATI Reading Room

A physical reading room will be made available on site as needed for the review/reading of disclosed records upon request to the Information Officer.

Reporting Complaint, Compliment or General Feedback

Our greatest resource is our people and the best source for growth and improvement comes from passengers and fellow travelers on Bermuda’s roads. We welcome your feedback by telephone, contact form or fax in the following format:

          Name:

          Address (optional unless pertinent to the feedback):

          Daytime Telephone Number:

          Cellphone Number:

          Email Address:

         Date, Time and Location:

          Employee Name:

          Vehicle Number:

          Route Number:

          Travelling Direction of the Bus:

          Details of the Incident:

Section I: Any Other Information To be Provided?  [s5(1)i]

   [ZB3]

Accessibility

The bus system is not fully wheelchair accessible; however, if a person using a wheelchair is able to board the bus without the aid of the wheelchair; can fold the wheelchair; and can place it in an area that does not obstruct the way of fellow passengers, the operator will be happy to accommodate. 

Becoming a Fare Media Outlet

Companies selling fare media must first become authorized and perform the following:

1. Make available to the public timetables, token, passes and other DPT notifications;

2. Display information showing the fare structure supplied by DPT;

3. Sell DPT tokens and passes at a rate no greater than the face value of the respective fare category;

4. Sell tickets in the booklet form only at a rate no greater than the established value. Individual sales of tickets are prohibited.

A 5% discount will be extended to those with a minimum purchase of 200 tokens and/or 50 passes. Aggregate sales exceeding $100,000 will generate an 8% discount. For more information, dial (441) 292-3851 ext. 2217.[ZB4]

Advertising

The Public Transportation Act 1951 allows for advertising to be placed on a Government omnibus. There are three ways in which one may advertise their products and services on the bus:

1. Back Window of Buses

Total Marketing & Communications

Telephone: (441) 295-4558

Email:  info@totalgroup.bm

Website:  www.totalgroup.bm

Section J: Information Statement: Copies and Updates [s5(2,3,4,5)]

Every public authority shall update its information statement at least once a year, and make it available for inspection by the public at reasonable times by [s5(1-5), PATI Act]:

Date Information Statement was updated:          March 2025

Locations of Information Statement:      

Confirm copies of Information Statement are available at the following sites:   

• Department of Public Transportation Headquarters Yes

26 Palmetto Road

Devonshire DV 05

• The Bermuda National LibraryYes

• The Bermuda ArchivesYes

• Available electronicallyYes

• Website for the Department of Public Transportation: gov.bm/busYes

• Notice in the Gazette indicating the places where the information statement is available for the publicYes

• With the Information CommissionerYes

  Jonelle D. Christopher                                                                     Date

  Director