260,000 vehicles - and only 436 of them electric

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE more than 260,000 registered vehicles in The Bahamas contribute significantly to the country’s air pollution, a Department of Road Traffic official said at a World Health Day Symposium hosted by the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Pan American Health Organisation.

Of the registered vehicles in the country, it was reported that there are only 436 hybrid or electric vehicles, accounting for 0.2 percent.

Commander Bertram Bowleg, acting Road Traffic controller, believes the country should move in the direction of Europe where bicycles are the main mode of transportation in The Netherlands.

The symposium focused on climate change and its linkages to health.

Speaking on the topic of air pollution, Mr Bowleg said that transportation by sea, air, and land contributes to the problem.

“The Bahamas is a small nation and I saw it fit to share data collection regarding the amount of (vehicular) transportation in our little country and how much we as a nation contribute to our own air pollution,” he said.

Mr Bowleg reported that there are currently 263,672 registered vehicles in the Road Traffic Department’s management system.

This only accounts for eight islands in the country, he stated.

Mr Bowleg provided numbers for only seven islands.

In Abaco, there are 15,014 registered vehicles; Andros, 523; Eleuthera, 12,208; Exuma, 4,439; Grand Bahama, 43,506, Long Island, 966; and New Providence with 186,690 vehicles.

In the case of Andros, Mr Bowleg explained: “Andros was just placed on the system so the number we got from Andros is only those that are on the system right now.”

He provided a breakdown of the registered vehicles in the country.

He reported that cars accounted for 222,005; trucks, 23,602; golf carts, 4,586; miscellaneous 2,820; motorbikes 2,097; and bicycles, 47.

“I went to Europe and the number is upside down; they have more bicycles than the use of cars and they have bicycle garages – not car garages, and I saw thousands of them,” he said.

“We as a nation need to move in that direction. We are very small compared to Rotterdam and Amsterdam and those other countries.”

Commander Bowleg indicated that of all vehicles on the system, only 436 are hybrid or electric.

He said that the 23,602 registered vehicles that are classified as trucks include the big rigs that carry sand and delivery trucks.

Mr Bowleg noted that less than five percent of registered vehicles are high pollution vehicles.

“Those are the tractors and excavators with the high stacks that give off black smoke,” he explained.

He stressed that the number of cars in the country has increased significantly over the years, since 2016.

“Now, we have 263,672. You can see the vast difference in our country over the years, adding more and more pollution to our little (country).

Mr Bowleg said the registration of electric and hybrid vehicles was less than 20 in 2016.

He stated that the number “jumped drastically” in 2017, but then started to decrease year after year because high demand for those cars drove up the cost.

“The industry noticed that electrical cars were being bought and were so much in demand the price almost doubled, and people decided to go back to the regular vehicles.”

He said the Ministry of Transport is working towards adapting to climate change mitigation initiatives.

Among some of the measures taken, he noted the introduction of a road traffic system has helped progress the ministry to a cashless and paperless work environment and reduce waste.

Mr Bowleg said that the department is working towards improving inspection standards to ensure vehicles can only be registered after meeting global benchmarks.

Comments

GodSpeed says...

Well I would get an electric car but the power supply here is not reliable and the rats that are all over this island would probably chew all the electric wires to pieces causing insane repair bills.

Posted 14 April 2022, 2:16 p.m. Suggest removal

Twocent says...

“Go electric” but plug into BPL which uses fossil fuels LOL ! “GO ELECTRIC” but BPL always cutting OFF ROL! We are not ready, nowhere near ready, to go electric. A decent jitney service would be a start, like buses in London! Bicycles is a way to go if police get the drunks and crazies off the street; getting them off the street reduces carbon emissions. Cars with low carbon emissions would have been a way to go….low duty on tiny British vehicles. Ban American high emission vehicle imports. Do proper inspection tests that verify a low emissions vehicle (?). BIOFUEL?

Posted 14 April 2022, 4:29 p.m. Suggest removal

bahamianson says...

What air pollution? Show me the air pollution.

Posted 14 April 2022, 5:06 p.m. Suggest removal

IslandWarrior says...

...you have never visited the Asthma Ward at PMH or read World Health Reports on NOx, the leading cause of breast cancer, cardio repository failure, stroke and stillbirths ...and the big one, asthma.

NO x  gases are usually produced from the reaction between nitrogen and oxygen during the combustion of fuels, such as hydrocarbons, in the air, especially at high temperatures, such as in-car engines.

To see the pollution in Nassau, first, you should be old enough to know the difference in air quality today and what it was in 1982. Or if you have any amount of sight, make a visit to the top of the PI bridge and look south - do this at 7 am - 3 pm, and if luck has it, repeat at 5 pm on a holiday.

Think about this:
A gallon of gas = 20 pounds of CO2!
Burning 6.3 pounds of gasoline produces 20 pounds of carbon dioxide.

Posted 14 April 2022, 6:57 p.m. Suggest removal

JohnQ says...

The materials required for the manufacturing of solar panels, wind turbines and especially batteries are not easily obtained without considerable energy consumption and environmental concerns, as well as supply worries. Evan more troublesome is the storage of energy utilizing toxic batteries that have a defined life span and will require a robust recycling program in order to prevent an enormous downstream environmental disaster.

Posted 14 April 2022, 5:19 p.m. Suggest removal

ohdrap4 says...

And, and child labor in the Congo to extract Cobalt, at 75cents a day wages and where hundreds die every year.

I have a problem with that.

Posted 15 April 2022, 2:01 p.m. Suggest removal

tribanon says...

The average cost of an electrical vehicle (4-door sedan) in the U.S. is now about $50,000. Just imagine what the landed cost of one of them would be here in The Bahamas.

By the time a middle-income Bahamian pays for the electric car, the charging station and the roof mounted solar panels for their house (assuming they own a home), their entire life's savings would have been depleted.

Posted 15 April 2022, 6:54 a.m. Suggest removal

ohdrap4 says...

> Commander Bertram Bowleg, acting Road Traffic controller, believes the country should move in the direction of Europe where bicycles are the main mode of transportation in The Netherlands.

I will let Mr. Bertram go first. Cruising at 90F and 95% humidity down Independence drive. He would not last a day.

Posted 15 April 2022, 2:03 p.m. Suggest removal

shonkai says...

222000 Cars on a population of 494000. On islands. CRAZY

Posted 15 April 2022, 7:50 p.m. Suggest removal

carltonr61 says...

Those electric vehicle owners should be warned of replacement battery costs up to $20,000.00 not to mention power outages for weeks during hurricanes. They are being forced upon nations. But our common sense should not be bought out.

Posted 16 April 2022, 8:33 a.m. Suggest removal

ohdrap4 says...

Many years ago, electric golf carts were all the rage in Abaco.
They were costly.
Now their resale value is low, and people selling will tell you they need thousands of dollars worth of batteries.

The solar power is also a ruse. The sales people do not tell us about long term costs.

In Spain , people were induced to invest in Solar energy to sell it to the govt. Then a new govt cut out the purchase and brought ruin to many.

At least here BPL refuses to pay and compels you to buy their energy. Lol.

Posted 16 April 2022, 12:09 p.m. Suggest removal

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