JUTC Opening Applications for Six KMTR Stage Carriage Routes on Oct. 1
By: September 5, 2024 ,The Full Story
The Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) will be opening applications for sub- franchises of six stage carriage routes in the Kingston Metropolitan Transport Region (KMTR) on October 1.
Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, Hon. Daryl Vaz, made the disclosure during Wednesday’s (September 4) post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House.
The routes, which will be for Coaster buses, include Shortwood to downtown Kingston via Half-Way Tree; Barbican to downtown Kingston via Half-Way Tree; Duhaney Park to downtown Kingston via Half-Way Tree; Whitehall to downtown Kingston via Half-Way Tree; Havendale to downtown Kingston via Half-Way Tree; and Harbour View to Half-Way Tree to downtown Kingston.
He also advised that the TA will host a sensitisation session on the issuing of route taxi licence for 11 KMTR routes, which is slated for St. William Grant Park in downtown Kingston on September 18.
Mr. Vaz urged illegal hackney carriage operators on these routes to convert their permits to route taxi licences.
He said the offer by the Transport Authority (TA) to convert the licence will ease the burdens experienced by commuters who are often overcharged to compensate for hackney fare rates.
“Hackney carriage operators are invited to apply for conversion to a route taxi licence starting now… . The operators who refuse to convert their licences to route taxis and continue to operate illegally will face the law,” Mr. Vaz said.