week.

And if all goes according to plan, months of unreliable service caused by bus breakdowns will come to a halt within the next two weeks.

Public Transportation Board director Herman Basden yesterday told The Royal Gazette six new buses arrived on the Oleander on Sunday.

The German buses, which have stainless-steel and rust-proof bodies specially made by Berkhos of Holland for Bermuda's climate, were being examined at the Palmetto Road bus garage in Devonshire before going on the road.

Mr. Basden said the PTB hoped to have the $250,000 buses in motion by next week in time for the two-day Cup Match holiday.

Fourteen more new buses are expected to arrive between next month and September, in time for students returning to school.

Noting that more than 60 percent of the buses in PTB's 106-strong fleet were over ten years old, Mr. Basden said: "This should bring great relief to PTB after not being able to purchase buses for a year.

"Hopefully we can get regular, reliable service.'' Mr. Basden added that he hoped to see an improvement in service within two weeks "so people will see it (unreliable service) was a bus problem and not the fault of PTB''.

Many of PTB's buses date back to the mid-1970s. When Government did not set aside funds for the purchase of new buses in last year's budget, the department and the community began to feel the effects of the ageing service.

Parents often complained about children left stranded or forced to walk to the Hamilton bus terminal in the rain when buses broke down and failed to show up at schools.

The situation reached a crisis point in March this year when more than 46 buses were taken off the road for repairs, leaving passengers stranded throughout the Island.

PTB was left to juggle the dwindling number of working buses during peak hours.

Yesterday, Mr. Basden said he expected that drivers and passengers will enjoy riding in the new buses.