St. Maarten News – The Dutch and the French side have come together to regulate trans-border bus transportation, Minister Ingrid Arrindell (Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication) said at Wednesday’s press briefing. A meeting with Vice President of the Collectivité Guillaume Arnell was inspired by the large influx of Dutch busses on the –Marigot-Philipsburg route.
Minister Arrindell said that many of the Dutch-side bus drivers are not allowed to work on the French side because they do not have the required D-license that is required for driving a bus and they do not have French nationality.
Currently the Dutch bus drivers outnumber the French ones; Arrindell and Arnell agreed to limit the number of Dutch bus drivers allowed to work on the French side to 30. According to the minister, there are currently 15 Dutch side bus drivers qualified to work on the French side.
Qualified bus drivers will get a French bus permit with a picture ID that is valid for five years and a sticker that should be visible on the bus to facilitate controls by the gendarmerie.
Arrindell announces rules for cross-border bus services
