Officially, ALL buses are supposed to stop ONLY at bus stops, however, the Minibuses, more so than the state owned buses, will be compassionate to those who haven’t made it to the bus stop yet.

Also, ALL buses are officially supposed to stick to the route, but the personal nature of the minibus service often leads operators to function based on the needs of commuters. Sometimes a minibus will go off-route to take an elderly person to their door, or to take passengers closer to shelter if the rain is falling. Sometimes they will go- off-route to escape excessive traffic, but in such cases they will ask where people are going to determine if they can “cut-out” certain roads altogether.

In terms of music, Minibuses are allowed to play music / radio stations, (not only reggae), but the music should not be played excessively loud. This is a breech of the law.

As for speed, transportation is Barbados is generally pretty fast-paced. Personally, I find the state-owned buses to travel the fastest of a consistent basis. The private-owned minibuses are pragmatic. They will travel faster when full (in order to get empty and replenish) but they drive quite slowly when they’re emptier (looking for passengers).

Overall, it is the general consensus of tourists that the Minibus ride is well worth it. It’s unique, it’s personal, it’s lively and the customization of the buses is always intriguing. From musical air horns, to roof spoilers, to side-skirts, to window art to airbrushed interiors, it;s always a pleasure.

If you’re coming to Barbados, try out this mode of transport and in the meantime you can check out this site for more info. http://gowebnow.net/minibus/