A number of the new buses that were acquired by the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) eight months ago to boost its fleet have been sitting idly at some of the state-run company’s depots for weeks, as there’s no money to purchase new tyres.

According to an Observer source, a significant number of the parked buses are assigned to the company’s Portmore, St Catherine, depot. The buses ply multiple routes, including Portmore to Kingston, as well as Portmore to Spanish Town.

But on Monday, JUTC communication manager Reginald Allen sought to downplay the situation and attributed the parking of the buses to part of the company’s regular routine measures and observation of vehicle warranties set out by the manufacturers.

“I am sure the police have challenges in keeping their ideal fleet out there. Well, it’s the same thing. It’s just a matter of cash flow,” Allen told the Observer.

“Why it seems like a bigger situation than it actually is, is due to two things: It has got to the point where some of these units need three tyres to be changed, and also because these buses have been around since February, which seems a short time unless you reflect on the fact that these buses operate from 4:00 am until midnight. Much of that day is spent running, carrying a huge volume of passengers which again impacts on the tyres,” he explained.

The new buses were built in Belgium and designed specifically for Jamaica’s rough terrain.

On Monday, Allen said there had been a significant increase in demand for the service due to the comfort and style offered by the new vehicles.

He attributed the added wear on tyres to increased passenger loads during peak periods.

“Many of the new units are carrying up to twice the passenger load daily, particularly during peak periods,” he said. “The new units are predominantly running at full capacity, whereas before some buses had only between 10 and 12 persons. We have had a problem with passengers standing during peak periods whereas the buses were designed to operate with 53 persons seated comfortably. In many cases we’ve even had commuters complaining of the intensity of a bus that was just loaded.”

Approximately $83 million has been earmarked in the 2009/2010 budget for the JUTC to purchase tyres for its fleet.

Meanwhile, the bus company is expected to add another 200 new buses by next March, which is being financed through a euro67-million loan from the Belgian government.