All students will ride free of cost on the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) buses and the units under the National Rural School Bus Programme from September to October 2025. Students are required to present a valid school identification (ID) card or be dressed in their school uniform to benefit. This special provision, announced recently by Prime Minister, Dr. the...

The National Rural School Bus Programme officially rolled out on Monday (September 8), with some 60 buses deployed across the island. Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, Hon. Daryl Vaz; Education, Skills, Youth and Information Minister, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon; and Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Fayval Williams, were on hand to observe...

More than 120 drivers are currently being trained islandwide for the National Rural School Bus Programme, to ensure a high level of professionalism under the programme. “A fleet of buses alone cannot succeed without the people, the systems and the structures to support it. The training of drivers goes beyond driving. It covers child supervision, emergency response, and the laws...

All 122 routes under the Government’s National Rural School Bus Programme have been successfully tested ahead of the reopening of schools for the 2025/26 academic year on Monday, September 8, to ensure a seamless rollout of the initiative. Addressing Wednesday’s (August 27) Blessing Ceremony for the Programme at Jamaica House, Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, Hon. Daryl Vaz,...

Special needs institutions are among the beneficiaries of the Government’s Rural School Bus System, a strategic move aimed at advancing equity and inclusive access across the education sector. Speaking during Wednesday’s (August 27) Blessing Ceremony for the National Rural School Bus Programme at Jamaica House, Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, Hon. Daryl Vaz, announced that in the first...

The Island Traffic Authority (ITA) is warning against the dangerous practice of political party supporters protruding bodies or body parts from motor vehicles while using public roadways. Corporate Communications and Public Relations Manager at the ITA, Dontae Matthews, told JIS News that the Authority is urging safe road practices during the period leading up to the general election on September...

Several community stakeholders have endorsed plans by the St. James Municipal Corporation to establish Jamaica’s first smart bus stop in Mount Salem, Montego Bay. The facility will feature free Wi-Fi access, QR code technology linked to registered taxi associations, digital advertising panels, and security cameras with real-time access for police monitoring. It will also be equipped with proper lighting to...