QAUIA RESIDENTS WELCOME NEW SHORE BUSES ROUTE

Residents of Qauia Settlement in Lami are happy with the Shore Buses Limited new route that is now servicing the settlement. Before, residents of Bua and Maloku in the settlement used to walk a long distance to reach their homes.

Resident, Ana Rakacikaci said: “This new route has made transportation very simple for the residents living around the Bua and Maloku settlement.

“Before, people had to take a 15 minutes’ walk from the main road carrying their shopping supplies and it is a struggle for the elderly and those who are not able to pay almost another five dollars for a taxi to transport them.

“If they have to catch the 7am bus then they will have to start walking from 6:30am to the main road.”

But now, residents just have to pay the stage two bus fare $1.18 – to get dropped off at their homes.

Shore Buses Limited operations manager, Aman Singh, said:

“We have been wanting to do this for a long time so we put an application with LTA to operate and from there we saw that the roads were getting better.

“We went and investigated the road first if it is viable for the route and it’s been a week since we started the route and the feedback from the residents are really good because everyone benefits from it.

“We hope no one vandalises or damages the buses like before.”

Bus driver, Aminiasi Rokomoce said the decision by the company would have a positive impact on the community.

“I am very happy with the decision taken by the company as I know it will help many elderly people who live around the area,” he said.

KELERA SOVASIGA