105 JUTC Buses to Be Refurbished

The Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) will be refurbishing 105 buses on a phased basis to boost its fleet and reduce commuter wait time.

The initiative forms part of the company’s bus refurbishing programme, said Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, Hon. Daryl Vaz, in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (January 30).

Of the total number of units to be repaired, 25 are Golden Dragon, 30 are articulated units and 50 are Volvo buses.

Minister Vaz noted that the buses have been carefully selected to address the needs of specific routes.

He said the first 20 Golden Dragon buses will be refurbished between April and December 2024 and the additional five units will be completed by May 2025.

These units were built specially for the hill routes, such as downtown to Stony Hill, Above Rocks to Half-Way Tree Transport Centre, and the transport centre to Border.

Discussions are under way with the local Volvo dealer regarding the articulated and Volvo buses.

Minister Vaz explained that the cost to refurbish the buses will be about 30 to 40 per cent of the value of new units.

“The highest cost is the Volvo bus at a cost of US $300,000, while the other two bus types are $200,000, so if you can get 105 refurbished and… I’m talking about… persons from the factory coming here and redoing both the interior and the exterior and the engine, that will go a far way,” he said.
Minister Vaz told the House that the refurbishing programme is a “a short-term solution to ease the pressure on demand and wait time. Through the execution of this initiative, we will be able to rehabilitate buses at a significantly lower cost, and of course, most importantly, it will be to the benefit of the commuting public”.

He said the Government is actively working on advancing the acquisition of 300 mixed-energy buses over the next three years to address needs in the public transport system.

In addition, the remaining 14 of 70 units that were purchased in 2023 are expected to arrive in April and May 2024.

The buses will be equipped for the disabled community.

Furthermore, Minister Vaz said the JUTC has embarked on a pilot for the testing of a robust fleet management system, which allows for real-time monitoring and management of the buses.

“It will provide essential data regarding vehicle location, route adherence, maintenance, schedules, fuel consumption and driver performance. The objective is to improve the operational efficiency of the system by optimising resource allocation, thereby enhancing the quality of the service provided, even as we seek to increase the number of units available to move the travelling public,” he said.

Additionally, the Minister noted that the JUTC is seeking to have the buses outfitted with internal and external surveillance cameras to facilitate close monitoring and recording of activities.

“This will not only serve to deter potential criminal activity but also assist incident investigation and resolution. Special analytics cameras with facial recognition will also be installed at security posts to record any unauthorised dispatching of buses,” he indicated.

Minister Vaz said the JUTC has partnered with Crime Stop to apprehend perpetrators who deliberately vandalise the units.

“This is in conjunction with the JUTC’s Franchise Protection Department and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF),” he told the House.

Turning to other measures to improve service to the commuting public, Minister Vaz informed that the development of a user-friendly mobile application (app) is being pursued to allow commuters to access real-time information about bus routes, estimated arrival times and any service disruptions.

He said the app will enable passengers to track their bus live, plan their journey, and receive notifications and alerts regarding any change or delay in service.

“This will be a huge help to the commuting public,” he said.