John Von Strolley (second right) of Von’s Motor and Company, presents the key to a 39-seater bus manufactured in China to Transport Minister Dr Omar Davies at the ministry Tuesday morning.

The bus, which is being put through an eight-week test run, began operating on February 11 on the Jamaica Urban Transit Company’s (JUTC’s) number 53 route, which terminates at Above Rocks in St Andrew.

The bus, called the Golden Dragon, was designed to certain specifications requested by the JUTC when Managing Director Colin Campbell (shown at left) and Deputy Managing Director for Maintenance, John Campbell visited China and met with the manufacturers.

“What we wanted was a bus to fit the operating conditions of the hilly areas. These buses can traverse these areas in a much better way than our larger units. So far the bus is performing well with a full load and the feedback from passengers is good,” Colin Campbell said.

The JUTC said it plans to put the Golden Dragon bus on routes 53, 54, 97 and 61, once it passes the test.

Von’s Motor and Company is the agent in Jamaica for the manufacturers.

Also photographed are JUTC Chairman Garnett Roper (centre) and junior transport minister Morais Guy. (PHOTO: ASTON SPAULDING)