09/02/2026
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐จ๐จ๐ฅ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐จ๐ง ๐๐ก๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฒ
The Honiara City Council (HCC) has announced that its four newly introduced school buses will officially begin operations on Thursday, February 12th.
Co-chairpersons of the HCC Interim Committee overseeing the school bus service, Hon. George Kiriau and Hon. Rex Konofilia, confirmed the commencement during a media briefing held this morning.
Hon. Kiriau, Councilor for Vavaya Ward, said the buses will operate along Honiaraโs main road, covering both eastern and western routes. Two buses will service East Honiara, while the remaining two will operate in West Honiara, with the Central Market serving as the turning point for all routes.
Under the arrangement, students in East Honiara will be transported between Central Market and Burns Creek, while those in West Honiara will be served between Central Market and White River.
The Council has also released the daily timetable for the service. Morning pick-ups will begin at 6:00am and run until 10:00am. Services will resume after a break at 12:30pm and continue until 4:30pm. Each bus has a maximum capacity of 45 students.
Hon. Konofilia, Councilor for Ngossi Ward, emphasized that only students in full school uniform will be allowed to board the buses. He clarified that the service is strictly for primary and secondary school students, and that tertiary students are not included under the current arrangement.
He further noted that the service is open to all primary and secondary schools within the Honiara city boundaryโfrom Lungga to White Riverโand is not limited to HCC-managed schools.
Fare
The HCC has endorsed a fare of $2.00 per student to help cover operational costs, Konofilia said. Parents or guardians accompanying children, particularly those attending Early Childhood Education (ECE), will be required to pay $3.00.
Konofilia added that while the buses are intended to help students arrive at school on time, students may still use other public transport if they miss the school bus or expect to be late.
Meanwhile, the HCC has warned that it will strictly enforce rules for drivers and conductors. Smoking and betelnut chewing will not be allowed on board the buses.
News@SBMOnline2026