Train Service For Students Rolls Out In January 2022

The Jamaica Railway Corporation’s (JRC) Back on Track School Train Service was officially launched on Tuesday (December 14) at the Ministry of Transport and Mining.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, Minister of Transport and Mining Hon. Robert Montague said that he was proud of the Ministry and of the collaboration that has taken place among the various stakeholders in the interest of the nation’s children.

He reminded the gathering that when he first became Minister of Transport and Mining in 2018, he had said that the JRC is a gem that needs to be polished.

“I said in Parliament that we are going to reintroduce passenger trains because if we can use the lines for cargo, we can use it for people and today I am seeing the reality of that and I am proud” the Minister said.

He explained that the cashless school train service will benefit some of the most vulnerable children, particularly those on the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) who will access the cashless system with a card.

Minister Montague further pointed out that there is another benefit to going cashless, as use of the card will create a register to track the child’s activities which can be used to advise the Ministry of Education on how many of the 400 children attended school on a given day.

He said it was also important to note that the child’s card could also be used to track movement in the event of a security issue.

Minister of Education Youth and Information Hon. Fayval Williams who also spoke at the launch ceremony, commended Minister Montague for resurrecting the rail service in Jamaica and highlighted the benefits to students.

“Transportation is a high cost for many parents across Jamaica. I know that in Kinston and St. Andrew where we have the Jamaica Urban Transit Company transportation is heavily subsidised but out in the other parishes parents pay a lot for transportation” Minister Williams stated.

“When we look at the studies as to the cost of education, transportation ranks very high along with lunch money, then uniform and books,” she added.

Minister Williams said she was extremely happy for the service and for those 400 students who will be able to take the train to school or the combination of the train and the JUTC and back.

Chief Technical Director in the Ministry of Transport and Mining Mrs. Dawn Smith-Fagan explained that the resurrection of the rail service for Jamaica has long been a vision of the MTM.

“It forms part of our mandate to provide a safe reliable and sustainable transport system island-wide and to this end the Ministry has formed partnerships with various stakeholders the CTD said.

The commuter rail service will be operated by the JRC in two segments of the existing network in the parish of St. Catherine. It is expected to provide safe and cost-effective transport for school-age children who depend on the public transport system for travel.

The service will begin on the first Monday in January. One trip will leave Old Harbour at 6:30 am and arrive in Spanish Town at 6:55 am.

Another trip will leave Linstead at 6:20 am and reach Spanish Town at 7am.

The JUTC will then bus the students from the trains into the various schools, namely Jonathan Grant High, St. Jago High, Jose Marti High and St. Catherine High.