Two more stops for the shuttle

Last November, the Territorial Collectivity launched a shuttle service between Saint-Jean and Gustavia. The service has struggled to attract passengers, and its route raised some questions from the outset—mainly because it does not stop at the airport and, more importantly, at the ferry terminal. This inconsistency was rectified during the Territorial Council meeting on Thursday, May 28.
During that session, Territorial Councilor Mélissa Lake (from the presidential group Unis pour Saint-Barthélemy) presented a proposal to amend the regulations governing the road transport of passengers and goods to the elected officials. “The goal is to expand the urban public transit system launched on a trial basis in November 2025,” the councilor explained. To achieve this, the ban on parking within a 150-meter radius of the taxi zone has been lifted.
The shuttle will therefore soon make a stop at the airport and another at the ferry terminal. This may help increase ridership, which remains modest. According to an online publication by the Territorial Collectivity, 16,147 passengers were recorded by the end of May. This represents an average of about 107 passengers transported per day since the service launched. Initially reserved for employees working in Gustavia and later for all island residents, the new shuttle has not yet found its audience.
The president of the Territorial Collectivity, Xavier Lédée, reiterated his desire to offer a similar service in other areas of the island. Once again, this is a recurring request expressed by some residents. “The goal is to extend the shuttle route for the upcoming season,” he stated. This development was already suggested among the recommendations made in the transportation study commissioned by the Professional Economic Chamber.

“Significant progress”
In addition to the changes to the shuttle service, Mélissa Lake presented a new initiative that will enable the establishment of local training in passenger transport. This initiative aims to prevent potential candidates from having to travel to Guadeloupe or even further afield for training, which would entail significant costs.
“This reform introduces several significant advances,” says Mélissa Lake. “Such as a common core curriculum covering the rules for entering the profession for all road transport operators. Furthermore, every transport operator must hold a professional qualification issued by the president of the Collectivité. “With this training, we are sending a strong signal to citizens who wish to train on the island. This is not merely a technical revision but the logical continuation of an initiative launched last December.”
Regarding the exam sessions, the elected official explains that they will be scheduled based on demand and the Collectivité’s needs. “We will open training sessions as needed,” she confirms.
Dimitri Lédée of the Action-Équilibre group worked with Mélissa Lake on the issue. He explains: “This change will allow the Collectivité to source staff from local businesses. Outsourced training was a bottleneck. Bus drivers are becoming increasingly scarce, and if the shuttle service expands, we’ll need more drivers.”
The resolution was adopted unanimously.