ttconnect Express - Innovation in Government Service Delivery

 ttconnect Express is a bus outfitted to serve as a mobile service centre that facilitates the provision of over-the-counter government information and services much like the ttconnect Service Centres located throughout the country. ttconnect Express was piloted in June 2010 with the ttconnect bus making its way to the rural communities of Couva, Cumuto, Salybia, Toco and Sangre Grande.  The Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the Honourable Mrs. Kamla Persad-Bissessar officially launched this new channel at the recently concluded Trinidad and Tobago ICT Business and Innovation Symposium held at the Hyatt Regency Port of Spain from November 14 – 16 2010. The ttconnect Express bus was unveiled to an enthusiastic audience who were also introduced to the bus’ key features via a virtual tour.

With ttconnect Express all customer transactions take place on board the bus. A retractable awning extends from the sides of a converted 45-seater PTSC vehicle offering persons a shaded waiting area before entry into the bus. This bus is equipped with work stations, computing equipment and storage areas to accommodate multiple simultaneous service transactions. Extra seating, bathroom facilities and kitchen equipment help to make daily four-hour trips to and from rural destinations a comfortable experience for the ttconnect customer service specialists onboard. The bus is also equipped with wheelchair access, further emphasizing the fact that ttconnect Express was truly developed with the needs of all citizens in mind. ttconnect Express operates between the hours of 10am – 2pm on weekdays. The scheduling and routes are set in advance and residents are advised of the visit into their area well before it arrives. This ensures that the services offered via this channel are fully utilized. The services being offered are similar to those services traditionally offered at Service Centres:

• Applying for your first Computer-Generated Birth Certificate
• Applying to the Multi-Sector Training (MuST) Programme
• Applying for Life Skills Training
• Applying to the Retraining Programme
• Applying for a Home Improvement Grant/Subsidy
• Applying for a Beneficiary-Owned Land Subsidy
• Applying for various Scholarships
• Applying for employment opportunities advertised by the Service Commissions

This innovation in government service delivery copped the Caribbean Association of National Telecommunications Organisations’ 2010 Project of the Year award along with ttconnect Mobile. Many of Trinidad and Tobago’s Caribbean counterparts have congratulated Government on the introduction of this new delivery channel and have expressed desires to adopt the model within their own countries.

The creation of this additional channel demonstrates a commitment to promoting equal opportunity access to government services. ttconnect Express has significantly reduced the obstacles faced by rural residents in seeking out certain services by effectively decentralizing the delivery of these services.  Most government offices are located within Port of Spain and environs and consequently, access to government services are oftentimes restricted to such areas as well. Instead of rural residents having travel to far distances to obtain in-demand services, these services are now effectively being brought to them. The ttconnect Express customer service specialists are well trained to deliver the highest levels of customer service and in so doing maintain the standards of excellence to which the Government and its parent organization, iGovTT subscribe.

For information on how to request ttconnect Express to visit your community, please click on the following link: ttconnect Express request information

For upcoming ttconnect Express visit schedules please click on the following link: ttconnect Express Schedules