24 JUTC Express Routes Fully Cashless

Effective today (Feb. 2), 24 express bus routes served by the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC), will operate a full cashless system.
“All riders on these buses will now require Smart Cards to complete their journey,” said Marketing and Sales Manager of the JUTC, Lenworth Simms.
The routes to be affected are: 3Ax from Christian Gardens to New Kingston; 8Ax from Naggo Head to Half-Way-Tree; 16Bx from Greater Portmore to Constant Spring; 17Ax, Greater Portmore to New Kingston; 17Ex, Greater Portmore to Cross Roads; 19Ax Greater Portmore to Papine; 20Ax, Greater Portmore to New Kingston; 21Ax and 21Ex from Spanish Town to Cross Roads; 22Ax, Spanish Town to City; 31Ax from Chancery Street to City; 32Ax, Duhaney Park to Half-Way-Tree; 46Ax, Meadowbrook to Half-Way-Tree; 47 Ex, Chancery Street to Cross Roads; 51x, Three Miles to Papine; 52Ex, Golden Spring to City; 72 Ex, August Town to Half-Way-Tree; 75 Ex, Six Miles to Papine; 77x and 78 Ex from August Town to City; 83Ex from Half-Way-Tree to City; 97Ex from Bull Bay to City; 98x from Port Royal to City; and 99x from Harbour View to City.
In preparing for the transition, Mr. Simms told JIS News that the JUTC has been issuing fliers to customers, while a town crier service will be utilised to increase awareness. Revenue agents, he added, have also been riding the buses to ensure that customers are aware of the changes.
The Marketing and Sales Manager informed that Smart Cards of different denominations will be sold on the buses for at least the first two months to accommodate commuters, who are not yet aware of the changes. “The company’s objective is that no customer, who is not aware of the new service, is turned away because they do not have a card,” he told JIS News.
Commuters will also be able to purchase and top up Smart Cards at some 30 dealer locations in Kingston, St. Andrew and St. Catherine. Some of the outlets are: the Half-Way-Tree Transport Centre; the Spanish Town Lay-By; the New Variety Store in West Parade, Downtown Kingston; Central Sorting Office and Liguanea Post Office in Kingston; and the Gregory Park Post Office in Portmore, St. Catherine.
Noting the benefits of the Smart Card, Mr. Simms pointed to the convenience and savings that it offers commuters. “Once you have the Smart Card, you don’t need to buy a ticket. Customers, who spend over $300 on their cards can receive over 20 per cent bonus,” he informed, noting that each card can hold a maximum balance of $3,000.
In the meantime, he said that more people are buying the Smart Cards when compared to the same period last year, a development, which he has credited to the public education efforts of the JUTC. “We have managed to drive the usage of Smart Cards more than five times what it was last year and in terms of sales, it is trending in the right direction,” he said.