The Limassol public transport operator (EMEL) has proposed a new scheme aimed at transporting around 1,000 students to tutoring centres and extracurricular activities using dedicated bus routes.
Speaking on the television programme Mesimeri kai Kati, the company’s CEO Giorgos Kyriakou said the initiative is designed to address specific mobility needs outside standard school transport hours.
Dynamic scheduling for afternoon routes
Kyriakou explained that a special platform is already in place to process requests for on-demand routes, allowing services to be adjusted daily based on passenger location and destination.
He said EMEL currently transports around 5,000 students to schools in the morning and back home at midday, but afternoon travel demands are significantly more complex due to varied destinations.
According to him, routes to tutoring centres and activities require frequent scheduling changes, making it difficult for conventional transport systems to respond efficiently.
Pilot programme underway
Kyriakou added that EMEL is currently running a pilot programme developed in collaboration with a European company specialising in transport solutions already used in other European countries.
He said early results have been positive and suggest the model could help reduce congestion while improving accessibility for students.
Possible integration into state policy
The company said the initiative could be incorporated into national public transport policy if the government chooses to adopt it.
Kyriakou stressed that EMEL is not seeking to pressure the state but is expressing interest in wider implementation of the programme.
Cost-sharing discussions ongoing
He also noted that discussions are ongoing regarding funding, including whether costs would be shared between the state and parents.
Currently, part of the student transport cost is covered by the state, while parents also contribute. He suggested that partial parental contribution would not be prohibitive given the expected benefits of the system.
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