1. BACKGROUND Many Pacific Island cities have been experiencing rapid urbanization for several decades and are now seeing a significant increase in reliance on private cars. This study focuses on the situation in the capital cities of Kiribati and Fiji; namely South Tarawa and Greater Suva.Fiji is a small island developing state in the South Pacific; consisting of more than 300 islands. Fiji has two main island which are Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. There are three main urban centers; two of which are on Viti Levu; while the other is on Vanua Levu. Fiji has two cities; both located on Viti Levu: Greater Suva and Lautoka. The main urban center on Vanua Levu is Labasa Town. Fiji has 13 municipal councils headed by Special Administrators. According to the Fiji Bureau of Statistics during the last census in 2017; the total population of Fiji was 884;887. Due to rapid urbanization; inadequate infrastructure; and unique geographical and climatic conditions; Greater Suva has been experiencing significant traffic congestion. Buses and minibuses serve as the primary modes of public transportation along main corridors; however; they provide limited coverage; unreliable services; and a lack of integration among public transport modes.South Tarawa; the largest city in Kiribati; accounts for more than 50% of the country’s population and is facing a drastic increase in the number of private vehicles. Although the public transport system; such as minibuses; operates with a frequency of every two to three minutes on the main corridor during peak hours; it is already overcapacity. Some passengers are unable to board the mini-buses due to a lack of available seats; and the mini-buses do not pass through low-demand areas since they mainly focus on profitable routes.欧美日b大片 (hereinafter “WB”) carried out a program called “Reducing Car Dependency for Greener and Healthier Pacific Cities;” which aimed to raise interest among Pacific policymakers in shifting away from a car-centric mindset. The program sought to demonstrate the benefits of reorienting transportation policy and investment in the Pacific Islands from a focus on private motor vehicle travel toward public transport; cycling; and walking ; . Workshops were held in Kiribati and Fiji on October 24 and 25; 2023 and from May 21 to May 23; 2024; respectively. The workshops highlighted the significant need to develop public transport in South Tarawa and Suva. Following the workshops in South Tarawa; the Traffic and Public Transport Survey (hereinafter "PT survey") was conducted from March 5 to 19; 2024. Additionally; the World Bank has been implementing a program called “Accelerating Decarbonization of the Road Transport Sector in Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands” to promote the decarbonization of road transport in the Pacific Island countries. Shifting from private vehicles to public transport systems is a critical pathway to achieving decarbonization. This project; Activating City Transformations for Inclusivity; Vibrancy; Accessibility; Traffic Reduction; and Environmental Sustainability (hereinafter referred to as “ACTIVATE”) for Greater Suva and South Tarawa; aims to develop a comprehensive public transport master plan that provides a reliable; safe; sustainable; and resilient public transport system; primarily focused on buses; minibuses and taxies.2. CONTEXT OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION 2.1. Greater Suva; FijiAccording to the census conducted by the Fiji Bureau of Statistics; the total population of the Greater Suva area; comprising Suva City; Nasinu Town; Nausori Town; and Lami Town; is around 268;400; which accounts for more than 30% of Fiji’s national population in 2017. The Greater Suva area has seen significant population growth from 1996 to 2017; increasing from approximately 208;500 to 268;400 people; with an overall growth rate of 1.21% annually. However; when breaking it down:*Suva City and Nasinu Town had a much slower growth rate of just 0.48% per year.*Nausori Town experienced the highest growth at 4.8% annually.*Lami Town experienced the population growth at 1.26% annually. This trend in population growth shows that the Greater Suva Area has expanded to the northern part (Nausori) and the western part (Lami). Providing public transport will play a critical role in encouraging smooth commuting to the CBD and preventing urban sprawl.An urbanizing population offers many benefits; but it also presents challenges; particularly in the context of the land transport sector. Due to rapid urbanization; the transport sector faces significant barriers in public transport services; including:*Outdated Bus Scheduling*Limited Technology utilization*Inadequate connectivity between different transport modes*Lack of understanding of PSV demand and supply*Challenges in maintaining the future viability of bus transport*Insufficient strategies for sustainable public transport*Lack of capacity in managing all forms of EV’s including e-buses; e-bicycles an