Category: News

 

 

We are thrilled to announce the launch of the JUTC Customer Portal, an online platform that will vastly enhance service delivery to customers by improving public access and ease of business transactions. Through the portal, customers are able to book charters, apply for sub-franchise licenses, and pay the relevant fees/charges, all from the comfort of their own home. The platform is expected to advance the efficiency with which the JUTC serves its clientele.

Managing Director of the JUTC Paul Abrahams, says the portal is part of the company’s thrust to enhance customer experience and provide greater convenience to customers. “We are constantly seeking ways to meet the changing needs of our clients, and we believe that the launch of the portal is a significant step in that direction.”

Corporate Communications Manager of the JUTC Cecil Thoms, commenting on the use of technology stated, “This online portal was developed in a bid to keep apace of global service delivery and e-commerce trends. It is testament of our commitment to deliver quality client services. The Portal, we believe, will positively transform the way customers engage our services.”

The JUTC Customer Portal is now live and can be accessed via our website at www.jutc.gov.jm. We are confident that users will find the portal user-friendly, easy to navigate, and convenient in accessing the services they require.

We urge all our existing and potential clients to take advantage of this new platform and to provide us with any feedback they may have.

We remain committed to providing customer oriented and modern services to the public transit sector.

 

As the Government moves towards reducing its carbon footprint to create a more sustainable transport sector, Prime Minister Andrew Holness has launched the first Battery Electric Bus (BEB) for public transportation.

The bus which seats 35 and has facilities for members of the disabled community as well as parents traveling with a stroller, was launched during a ceremony at the Office of the Prime Minister on Monday, January 30, 2023.

Prime Minister Holness noted that the Government is serious about its environmental commitments, as well as its climate change obligations, but stressed that the government is committed to its fiscal arrangements to ensuring that the JUTC does not become a fiscal risk or threat to the government.

“To fullfil all of these commitments (our climate change and environment and fiscal management) the government has to undertake a very comprehensive programme of integrating new technologies into our operations. We started that a few years ago with the introduction of compressed natural gas buses and now we are moving to electric buses. Electric buses offer a great deal of advantages, environmental advantages, practically no emissions, low maintainance and it takes away the theft of fuel” Prime Minister Holness said.

Prime Minister Holness noted that following the launch, the bus will be handed over to the JUTC for an initial testing period of approximately six months to gather empirical data which will be used to determine the next steps regarding BEBs in the public transportation industry.

For his part, Transport and Mining Minister Audley Shaw urged commuters to take care of the bus. He noted that 5 additional BEBs are slated to arrive by the end of next month along with 45 diesel-operated units.

Managing Director of the JUTC Paul Abrahams, lauded the initiative saying the introduction of the BEB is part of the strategic effort of the Company to reduce the use of fossil fuels and thus reduce emissions into the atmosphere. Outling some of the features of the bus, Mr. Abrahams noted that the bus is equipped with dashcams, real-time data collection and low floor capacity to assist members of the disabled community.

An electric bus is one that replaces an internal combustion engine and fuel tank with an electric motor and battery which is powered by electricity, thereby reducing noise and pollution.

 

The Jamaica Urban Transit Company Limited (JUTC) and the Ministry of Transport and Mining, are pleased to announce that the first electric bus has arrived in Jamaica.

The bus which arrived in the island just over a week ago seats thirty-five (35) and has special needs access to accommodate members of the disabled community.

In another couple of weeks, after the completion of the licensing and insurance processes, as well staff training and sensitization, the JUTC will be embarking on a pilot project to test the unit in anticipation of the arrival of another five (5) electric operated buses expected in the island next year.

The Jamaica Urban Transit Company Limited, JUTC, is reporting that there were 2 separate incidents on its buses resulting in injuries to passengers and damage to units yesterday.

The injuries to the passengers are not considered critical.

According to preliminary reports, at approximately 3:20pm, a route 97 bus (which plies Downtown to Bull Bay) was travelling along the intersection of Windward Road and South Camp Road, when passengers began shouting they can’t breathe. It’s understood that there was an altercation between students when one of them sprayed pepper spray. The driver reportedly opened the front door to get passengers out of the unit, while other passengers reportedly broke the side glass of the unit, both right and left in a bid to exit the bus. It is understood that police personnel who were passing by observed what was happening and provided assistance. The student who released the pepper spray was pointed out and was taken into police custody.

In the second incident, a stone was hurled inside a bus travelling from Half Way Tree to Spanish Town on route 32B at around 7:40pm in the vicinity of Eastwood Park Road and Courtney Walsh Drive. One passenger was injured, but his wounds are not considered life-threatening. The bus was intercepted by the Police along Washington Boulevard near Marverley, and a male passenger was taken to hospital.

The JUTC is encouraging persons who filmed the two incidents and anyone else who may have information, to provide it to the police to help in their investigations. We are also pleading with those who would seek to perpetrate violence, the hoodlums who engage in this reckless practice of stoning our buses to stop it! Such actions only serve to diminish the service we provide to the travelling public and endanger their lives. 

 

The Jamaica Urban Transit Company Limited has noticed in recent times that commuters to include students, who use our service at North and South Parade downtown, Kingston, specifically at our lay-bys, have been doing so recklessly. Commuters have been engaging in the dangerous practice of running along buses as the unit enter the lay-bys in an effort to get inside of them. This practice is wholly unsafe and could result in injury or worse, a fatality.

Corporate Communications Manager Cecil Thoms is encouraging commuters to observe proper road usage.

“We understand the challenge currently being experienced and the frustration that the long waiting time is causing. However, we implore teachers, parents and guardians to remind children/students not to rush or run alongside a bus before it comes to a complete stop. Students and adult passenger alike must wait on the sidewalk or curb until it is safe to enter the bus” Mr. Thoms said.

Continuing, he noted that “the JUTC will be reaching out to schools to enlist the support of Principals, the Road Safety Council and parent teacher groups in reminding students about proper road usage as well as good pedestrian behaviour. While we make this appeal, we are also encouraging our adults to be proper role models and to protect our children”.

Additionally, we know that as the Christmas season approaches, there will be more demand for our service and as such we are doing all we can to increase our bus rollout to reduce crowding at our lay-bys. We ask for your continued patience and understanding as we look forward to receiving brand new buses next year.