JUTC Route Changes Coming to Meet Anticipated High Demand for Service

Commuters can expect changes to several Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC)-operated routes in the new year.

Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport Minister, Hon. Daryl Vaz, told JIS News that the changes are intended to meet the anticipated increase in demand for service resulting from the temporary reduction in bus fares beginning January 2024.

“We estimate that we will get a big influx of additional passengers,” he said.

“We need to make sure that the buses can ply the routes in a much more timely manner, so we [will be] doing some announcements in relation to some specific routes and some designated lanes for public passenger transport,” he said.

Effective January 1, 2024, there will be a reduction in the regular JUTC fare from $100 to $70; a decrease in the fare for children from $30 to $25; and for pensioners from $40 to $30.

In addition, come April 1, 2024, there will be a further reduction in the regular fare from $70 to $50.

Fares for children will be further reduced from $25 to $20, and pensioners’ rates from $30 to $25.

The reductions, announced by Finance and the Public Service Minister, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, in the House of Representatives on November 21, form part of measures to curtail the impact of the increase in public passenger vehicle (PPV) fares on the overall inflation rate.

On October 10, 2023, the Government announced a 19 per cent increase in PPV fares (excluding JUTC and the Montego Bay Metro).

This took effect on October 15, 2023.

A further 16 per cent increase for PPV fares is slated to take effect on April 1, 2024.

Dr. Clarke said that the reduction is bus fares is a temporary measure designed to support the Bank of Jamaica’s efforts to return and keep inflation within the targeted range of four per cent to six per cent.

“We are giving ourselves up to 24 months, after which fares will need to be adjusted upwards and returned to existing levels. This intervention is consistent with the Government’s strategy of targeted and temporary interventions,” he added.