A two-hour practical driver training was conducted for four Honiara City Council school bus drivers on 16 May 2026 at the MID works compound
Strengthening Public Transport Safety: Honiara’s Bus Driver Training and Manual Development Efforts
31st May 2026
Efforts to improve public transport safety and service quality in Honiara are continuing. The Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID) and Honiara City Council (HCC), together with the Advisor for Capacity Improvement of Urban Transport Management in Honiara (a Japan International Cooperation Agency-led project), have developed a new “Bus Professional Driver Operation Manual” as the second phase of the bus crew training.
The manual includes topics such as driving posture, mirror adjustment, vehicle characteristics, blind spots, smooth acceleration and braking, bus stop operations, and practical driving exercises. In the practical driving exercises, they include slalom driving, direction change, bus bay parking, narrow road driving, blind spot awareness training, and others.
To apply the manual contents in daily operations, a two-hour practical driver training was conducted for four HCC school bus drivers on 16 May 2026 at the MID works compound. None of the participants had previously received similar practical bus driver training.
During the training, drivers practiced some practical driving exercises while also learning about blind spots around large vehicles. These exercises aim to improve understanding of bus movement characteristics and safe operation techniques in real driving environments.
The drivers showed highly positive feedback and stated that the training helped improve their understanding of safe driving, parking techniques, and the importance of checking blind spots before departing bus stops. All drivers also expressed that further practical training opportunities are necessary for improving professional driving skills and safety awareness.
The practical training provided an opportunity to be professional drivers. MID, HCC, and the JICA Project intend to continue supporting not only the preparation of manuals but also practical and operational training activities that directly contribute to safer and more reliable public transport services in Honiara.
These practical initiatives represent steady progress toward improving public transport safety and service quality for the citizens and students of Honiara.
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These exercises aim to improve understanding of bus movement characteristics and safe operation techniques in real driving environments.
During the training, drivers practiced some practical driving exercises while also learning about blind spots around large vehicles.
The drivers showed highly positive feedback and stated that the training helped improve their understanding of safe driving, parking techniques, and the importance of checking blind spots before departing bus stops.