Transport in Barbados

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1 Road
2 Boat
3 Merchant fleet
4 Railway
5 Facts & figures
6 Reference
7 External link

[edit] Road

Transport on the island is good, with three levels of public transportation currently operating on the roads of Barbados. Many of these vehicles generally depart from the capital Bridgetown or from Speightstown in the northern part of the island. The first mode of transport are privately owned 'route taxis', called "ZR's" (pronounced "Zed-Rs"), these mini-vans are plentiful in Barbados and travel to most points on the island, they are among the most common form of public transportation in Barbados. These ZR's vans are easy to spot; overall they are white or off-white in colour with a dark-maroon colored ban around the outside of the vehicle. They also feature a black circle in the middle of the ban on the front of the van with a large trip route number clearly displayed in silver or white. Although they tend to be crowded they often take the more scenic routes to destinations. ZR's vans also attempt to attract much needed attention to themselves, so often it is easy to hear them approaching. ZR's have a tendency to have heavy-bass music playing, or else a musical car-horn which they press a button and it will play La Cucaracha or another catchy tune for people walking along the road.

The second and third form of road public transport in Barbados are buses which are also abundant in various part of Barbados. Like the ZRs, the buses also run seven days a week (though less frequently on Sundays), and a ride on any of them costs $1.50 BDS. The smaller of the two buses known as "minibuses" are yellow in colour with a small blue colored ban around the outside of the vehicle. These minibuses along with the ZR's are both privately owned transport systems of Barbados. The third and last are the large blue bus with the yellow ban around the outside of the vehicle. The blue busses are government-operated via the Barbados Transport Board. Like the ZR's and minibuses they too cost $1.50 BDS. The privately owned "ZR's" and "minibuses" can generally make change for some smaller bill-denomination of Barbados currency (and sometimes United State dollars); the larger blue buses the government-operated Barbados Transport Board system cannot. Most routes require a connection in Bridgetown. However, if you wait long enough, you might find a bus that bypasses the capital and takes you right to your destination. Drivers are generally happy to help you get where you're going; however, some drivers within the competitive privately owned systems are reluctant to instruct you to use competing services, even if those would be preferable.

Competition for patrons extends to the bus terminals (sometimes just a parking lot full of buses); it is normal for the 'ZR' bus conductors to attempt to escort you to his vehicle and engage in loud altercations with other drivers and conductors, in competition for your patronage. These altercations, though sometimes dramatic, are less problematic than they usually seem to the unaccustomed.

[edit] Shuttles

Some hotels also provide visitors with shuttles to points of interest on the island. Hotel shuttles generally leave right outside of the hotel's lobby. The island also has an abundance of taxis-for-hire, although visitors staying on the island may find this an expensive option.

[edit] Taxis

Private taxis are also available across Barbados. They will generally carry you door-to-door but they tend to cost more depending on where you're going. Before getting in and departing, it is best to find out approximately how much the trip will cost in either Barbados currency or US$. (Remember US$1 = $2 in Barbadian dollars.)

[edit] Car rentals

Visitors also have the option of transport by car, presuming that they have a valid driver's license (issued in their native country.) Car rentals are also available in Barbados. There are several locally owned and operated vehicle rental agencies in Barbados. You'll need to purchase a temporary Barbados driver's licence for around $10 Barbadian currency (US$5.00) and present an international license. Remember— stay on the left-hand side of the road, in Barbados driving is done on the left, just as it is in England. It is also be advisable to spend some extra time to review the local policy regarding how to approach round-abouts.

[edit] Boat

Boating to/from or around Barbados requires following all International and local laws. If arriving in Barbados it is important to remember that legally you must enter an approved port of entry, which means stopping by the Harbour-master first at Bridgetown. Laws also protect the coral reefs, and boaters should be careful not to drop anchor outside of areas approved by the government of Barbados in order to protect the corals and possibly other undersea infrastructure that might be present around the island.

Barbados currently no longer has the Schooner vessel that once operated between Speightstown and Bridgetown. However, in recent years, with many heavy traffic problems on the island, there have been calls to revive it.

[edit] Merchant fleet

Statistics for the Shipping Industry of Barbados

Total: 58 ships (1,000 GRT or over)

Totalling: 433,390 GRT/664,998 DWT

Cargo ships

Bulk ships

Cargo ship

Roll-on/Roll-off ships

Tanker ships

Chemical tanker ships

Specialized tanker ships

Petroleum tanker ships

Passenger ships

General passenger ships

Combined passenger/cargo

Foreign Ownership and Documentation
Note: Of these, 57 are foreign-owned: Bahamas 1, Canada 8, Greece 11, Lebanon 1, Monaco 1, Norway 29, United Arab Emirates 1, United Kingdom 5. Barbados has one ship registered in other countries: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1. 2006 estimates.

Source: This article contains material from the CIA World Factbook which, as a US government publication, is in the public domain.

[edit] Railway

The railway system of Barbados implemented by Britain in the 1800s, primarily for transporting sugar cane across the island to the seaport Bridgetown, has also long since been removed. Some areas such as Two Mile Hill in St. Michael or Mile and a Quarter are a reminder of the railway era, but the rail system itself and its infrastructure no longer exists in Barbados.

Given that Barbados is the second most densely populated country in the Americas (behind only Bermuda), there is little chance that the railroad would ever be recreated in Barbados.[1] Any proposals for re-establishing a train mode of transit in Barbados would require either a subway system or an elevated monorail (likely placing it along the island's highways).