Paradise Transport Authority, The British Paradise Islands

from *The Essential Paradise*, series sourcebook

Paradise Transport Authority

### **Doc. 3.20. Going my way?**

Paradise Transport Authority is a public corporation under the auspices of The British Paradise Islands Ministry of Transport that provides public-transportation services within the territory.

Specific services include taxicabs, route and charter buses, and the hydrofoil shuttle service across Paradise Sound. The PTA also staff and maintain local bus stop shelters and facilities as well as numerous passenger terminals and vehicle-maintenance facilities.

Terms (whilst document is over revision)

bus depot - regular stops within a route feature sign-marked benches, usually covered by the familiar green-and-white parasol roof

bus terminus - The typical terminus involves a scheduled three-minute wait; the facilities include toilets, waiting benches and usually a snack kiosk and newstand.

The Great Dane Street terminus, located at one of Devon Township’s two signal-controlled intersections, includes an indoor concourse with ticket windows, toilets, newsstand and snack kiosk frequented by young people especially students travelling home from school.

The Marylebone Road terminus, located at one of Dublin Township’s two signal-controlled intersections, includes an indoor concourse with ticket windows, toilets, newsstand and snack kiosk.

The Bank Street terminus, located at Hurricane Hole’s busiest downtown corner, includes toilets, newsstand and a kiosk for tickets and snacks. Passes for tourist destinations such as the museums, Dahlia House and the Darwin Gardens are available here as well.

The Founder’s Field terminus, located at the major intersection of Pirates’ Cove, contains a kiosk for tickets and snacks. Public toilets and another kiosk, at which bus tickets and passes for tourist attractions are available, are located across the circus at the entrance to the city’s large public park.

The Endeavour Circus terminus, located at the foot of Cook Landing Road, contains a kiosk for tickets and snacks

bus service - Paradise Transport operate several types of buses in the territory; most popularly-known is the traditional Routemaster double-decker London type. Open-topped variants are also seen. A prohibition on double-deckers across Hell Gate Bridge leaves Morning Island buses isolated from the rest of the territory. Whilst most PT buses are Paradise green, some are red (usually in Morning Island tourist areas), white (typically special charters) or blue (some expresses and the single-decked cross- Hell Gate routes); all have the same red-white-green-blue bands round the top, the same Paradise Transport logo and representations of the territorial ensign

Paradise Transport bus fares tend to be 50 p (1995-2005) for a one-way trip within a route. Exceptions are made for students who must ride part of two routes to and from school and who use a pre-subscribed weekly pass. Rides over the Hump and over Hell Gate (on a single-decker) are double-fare. A conductor stationed by the door collects fares in tokens purchased at kiosks or in cash and punches advance-purchased passes, such as those for students and senior citizens, upon a passenger’s boarding

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