Parents Urged to Sign Up Children for Student Card

The Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) is encouraging parents and guardians to sign up their children for the student card, as a safe and easy way to access subsidised fares under the National Rural School Bus system.

The programme, which officially rolled out on September 8, provides safe, reliable, and affordable school transport for students in rural communities across the island.

Students currently ride free through October, after which they will pay a subsidised flat rate of $50 per trip.

Speaking on a recent JIS ‘Get the Facts’ programme, Communications Manager at the JUTC, Shantole Thompson, said that parents may sign up for the student card through the school or regional education office.

“It is a simple process. You can fill out a form, it is submitted and once the card is ready, it will be issued through your school or your regional office,” she pointed out.

She explained that once students get on the bus “they can just pop out their unique card, tap it, and it alerts [their] parents. You go on the bus, enjoy a nice ride and when you are coming off, you tap again, and it alerts your parents again.”

“In the event that there are no funds on the card, you top up through the online system, which is coming soon or your school or regional office,” she added.

For information on the student’s card or the National Rural School Bus programme, persons are advised to visit the social media pages of the JUTC, the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, or the Ministry of Transport, Telecommunications and Energy.