Bill to provide free bus passes moves up for a vote in session

Legislation to provide free bus passes to those in need of reliable transportation went up for discussion during session on Wednesday. Despite reservations, the measure will now be up for a vote in the coming days.

Reliable and affordable transportation is often a barrier to accessing health services, public assistance programs and court mandated appointments like probation. Speaker Therese Terlaje’s Bill 286 seeks to alleviate that issue by providing free bus passes to those in need. 

Lawmakers discussing the legislation during session today. Her bill would mandate the Guam Regional Transit Authority to provide those bus passes free of charge to the following agencies: Child Protective Services, the Guam Department of Education, the Department of Public Health and Social Services, the Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority, the Judiciary of Guam and the Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center. 

Vice Speaker Tina Muna Barnes shared her reservations with the measure, questioning if GRTA has enough funds for the task, to include hiring more drivers and buying more buses amid an expected spike in new riders.  GRTA administrative officer Henry Leon Guerrero previously testified during a public hearing that the agency is not prepared for it. 

"We don't understand the scope of the increase we're dealing with, so we are asking for riders who generate revenue," he stated. "But in terms of the usage of the increased usage, we just don't know and right now we're not prepared for it." 

Plus, the agency still does not have a functioning board to make important decisions and or an executive manager - a “dire” situation for those relying on GRTA's services like former board member and community advocate Evelyn Duenas. 

She said, "We need transportation, it's an essential thing. It's my way to get around, it's people's way of getting around whether they have cars or not and with the fuel prices keep rising that's a help to them. So really, transit is in dire need of assistance. And how can we do it? We really truly just need to work together and get it going and put people in there that are passionate enough to run it."

In the meantime, the bill's author says the free bus passes will be limited.  Terlaje does not expect a spike in new riders or increased costs for GRTA. 

The measure successfully moved to the Third Reading File and will be up for a vote in the coming days.