WESTERN BUREAU — Executives from the cash-strapped Montego Bay Metro bus service have been meeting, over the past two weeks, to map out a plan for the future of the company.

The Transport Authority recently completed a survey to determine the fallout that would stem from the permanent closure of the company, which once provided transportation for school children in about three parishes in western Jamaica before it partially closed its doors earlier this year.

In April, Transport Minister Robert Pickersgill ordered an evaluation of the company after workers complained of sporadic lay-offs without any definitive word from management on the future of the company.

According to Major Desmond Brown, general manager of Metropolitan Management Transport Holdings Ltd (MMTH), which has responsibility for MoBay Metro, there have been six meetings among the relevant parties in the last two weeks to examine the issue.

We are looking at the options now,” he said. “It will be either a straight school bus system, straight municipal or something in between.”

He was keen to point out that the matter has not yet been put before Minister Pickersgill, but the group is working to bring the matter to his attention before school re-opens in September.

“If that does not work out, we will just have to continue with the six buses,” Brown said.

Meanwhile, there is some limited service available now as the company had resumed operations on April 28, with three buses each on its Sandy Bay to Montego Bay, and Greenwood to Montego Bay routes.

For the past five years, MoBay Metro has provided transportation at a reduced rate to students and adults in the parishes of Trelawny, Hanover and St James.

It employs about 100 persons and has a fleet of 32 buses, including two luxury vehicles.