Taiwan has advanced smart transportation technology and services, and bus apps have become a part of people's daily lives. St. Vincent and the Grenadines lacks operating mechanisms and regulatory standards for its bus system, and thus requested assistance from Taiwan. In order to help St. Vincent and the Grenadines improve its situation, the TaiwanICDF has implemented the Intelligent Bus Management and Monitoring System Project since 2019, and officially launched the country’s first e-Bus and Security Operation Centre on July 21, 2020. More than 100 distinguished guests, including Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Ralph E. Gonsalves and Taiwanese Ambassador to St. Vincent and the Grenadines Calvin C.H. Ho, were invited to the opening ceremony to witness this important milestone.

Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Ralph E. Gonsalves was full of praise for the effectiveness of the project, reiterating that Taiwan has always been a strong and reliable partner of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, particularly in the field of information and communications technology (ICT). He also emphasized that he firmly supports the friendship between the two countries and will continue to work together in the future to actively improve the quality of life for Vincentians. The inauguration of the e-Bus and Security Operations Centre not only symbolizes the close technical cooperation relationship between the two countries, but also the hope that the imported ICT will lead St. Vincent and the Grenadines to a new, sustainable, safe, and smart future.

Buses are the main form of public transportation in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. There are about 60 bus stops on the island and the daily number of bus passengers reaches 15,000, accounting for 15 percent of the total population of the country. However, due to the lack of information management tools and operational standards, people have to spend around one to three hours waiting for the bus every day. In addition, safety and security risks at bus stops, particularly at night, as well as dangerous driving behaviors of private bus drivers, requires a good monitoring system to reduce the incidence of crime and accidents. Therefore, the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines hopes to help improve bus management capabilities and strengthen traffic management mechanisms with the help of Taiwan's ICT and smart transportation development experience.

In addition to the already activated traffic control center and CCTV video surveillance system, the TaiwanICDF will also assist in building 40 modern bus shelters and smart stop signs, and select 200 buses to introduce the dynamic information system to. Mobile apps will provide bus information to local people, reduce waiting times, and allow the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to strengthen traffic management and increase the reliability and efficiency of the bus system.

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• Update: 2020/09/01
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