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Transport in Trinidad and Tobago

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Trinidad and Tobago, a country that relies heavily on industrialisation and tourism, has various transport systems.

Air service

Trinidad is the larger island, with a business-oriented economy and the seat of the country's government and Piarco International Airport, the country's most major airport. A smaller number of international flights from fly directly to Tobago's Arthur Napoleon Raymond Robinson International Airport (formerly Crown Point Airport). There is also a small airfield name Camden Airstrip in Couva, which is mainly used for cropdusting planes.

Public transport

Several private red band Maxi Taxis seen operating on the Priority Bus Route in Trinidad. Red Band Maxis run along the East–West Corridor from Port of Spain to Arima.

Public transport is provided by a bus service operated by government-owned Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC), privately owned mini-buses (locally known as maxi-taxis) and privately owned cars. Maxi-taxis and some cars carry passengers along fixed routes for a fixed fare, although cars are slightly more expensive for similar routes carried by maxi-taxis because of their much smaller passenger capacities. Car taxis are not allowed to utilise the Priority Bus Route, and as such maxi-taxis and buses are preferable for speedily entering and exiting the cities (especially Port of Spain) during rush hour (7am–9am and 4pm–6pm).

In downtown Port of Spain on a street referred to as South Quay is the historic site of the Trinidad Government Rail (TGR) building at(#60 South Quay, Port of Spain). This former railway facility is now the current administrative and bus loading headquarters of the Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC). The compound also houses the Maxi Taxi loading facility which is located in its north- eastern quadrant. The Maxi Taxi loading facility is utilized by both route two (2) or red banded Maxi Taxis and route three (3) which are green banded. The red banded Maxi Taxis ply for hire from Port of Spain eastward to as far as the town of Sangre Grande. Green banded Maxi Taxis ply for hire from Port of Spain in a southern direction to either Chaguanas which is considered central Trinidad or to the region of San Fernando located along the South- western coast of Trinidad. The entire PTSC compound located on South Quay Port of Spain is officially referred to as The Port of Spain Transit Centre. The name "City Gate" to which the facility is popularly referred cannot be legally of officially used by the PTSC of on any official documentation used to refer to this facility.

Other Maxi Taxis such as the Route one (1) or yellow banded Maxis ply for hire from Port of Spain to West/ North- West Trinidad. This loading facility is located on #19- 21 South Quay in downtown Port of Spain approximately two hundred meters West of the PTSC. This Route one (1) facility caters to persons travelling to locations such as; Diego Martin, Petit Valley, St. James, Caranage, Chagaramas and Maraval.

In all other locations and for Port of Spain Intra-city transportation, taxi-stands are scattered at various streets of the town or region, and after sunset some of these taxi-stands may change location, although this changed location is also fixed. Recently there has also been a growth in popularity of American-style taxi-cabs that do not work along a fixed route and they can be booked for specific times for specific journeys.

Ferry service

King's Wharf with water taxis in San Fernando

Ferries operate between Port of Spain and Scarborough. Cars can be brought onto the ferries and kept in the cargo areas. Ferries run daily, Sundays to Sunday (less sailings on the weekend). The ferries are inexpensive, in spite of the minimum 2½–3 hour travel time between Port of Spain and Scarborough.

The Water Taxi Service (Trinidad and Tobago) operates between the cities of Port of Spain and San Fernando at a peak rate of five sailings from San Fernando to Port of Spain per morning. Each sailing carries approximately 400 passengers. Travel time is 50 mins and the cost of the service is heavily subsidized.

Railways

Rail map as of 1925

There is a minimal agricultural railway system near San Fernando, but the Trinidad Government Railway that was built while Trinidad and Tobago was a colony of the United Kingdom was gradually scaled back until it was discontinued in 1968. (The narrow-gauge agricultural railway was shut down in the late 1990s).

On April 11, 2008 the Trinitrain consortium announced it would plan and build 105 km two line Trinidad Rapid Railway.[1] It was claimed that the new railways were needed to overcome growing road congestion.[2] However the project was cancelled in September 2010.[3][4]

Roads

Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway

total: 8,320 km
paved: 8,320 km
unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)

Trinidad Island also has a large and complex highway network that consists of three 6-lane freeways:

Other Major Highways (4-Lane Freeways)

Tobago Highways (1-Lane Freeway)

Minor Highways

  • San Fernando By-Pass that runs through San Fernando.
  • Wrightson Road that runs through Port of Spain.
  • Rivulet Road that runs through Couva.
  • South Trunk Road that runs from San Fernando to Mon Desir.

Statistics

Pipelines: crude oil 1,032 km; petroleum products 19 km; natural gas 904 km

Ports and harbours: Pointe-à-Pierre, Point Fortin, Point Lisas, Port of Spain, Scarborough, Tembladora

Merchant marine:
total: 2 ships (1,000 gross tonnage (GT) or over) totaling 2,439 GT/4,040 tonnes deadweight (DWT)
ships by type: (1999 est.)

Airports: 6 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.)

(Transportation information from the CIA World Handbook.)

See also

References

  1. ^ "Trinidad rapid rail consortium confirmed". Railway Gazette International. 2008-04-11. Archived from the original on 2011-06-16.
  2. ^ "Design your own railway". Railway Gazette International. 2008-09-14.
  3. ^ "Railway Gazette: News in Brief". Retrieved 2010-11-15.
  4. ^ "Alutrint, rapid rail projects scrapped". Archived from the original on 2014-05-03. Retrieved 2013-08-22.
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