KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) is advising commuters that there is a disruption in its regular service as some drivers have taken industrial action.

“As a result, there are huge crowds at our major transportation hubs,” said Cecil Thoms, the JUTC’s Corporate Communications manager in a terse statement.

“We are urging commuters to make alternative arrangements to get to their destinations. We will keep you updated,” Thoms added.

Thoms, who spoke with the Observer minutes before a meeting of the management staff to ascertain the reasons for the strike, said that the drivers’ rage was ignited by a quarrel over the level of pay increases that were revealed when they received their emoluments on Tuesday afternoon. However, other sources at the company have suggested that the strike was in support of a fellow driver who was reportedly arrested by the police on Wednesday morning.

In the meantime, it is understood that crowds of people who are headed home or to night jobs are stranded in the main traffic areas, including downtown Kingston, Cross Roads and Half-Way-Tree.

In November 2021, the unprofitable bus company lost over $2 million in revenue from a strike by drivers which impacted almost all of its bus schedules, and created a financial boom for taxi and private bus operators.

That strike was sparked by the arrest of a JUTC driver by the police, who pulled him from behind the wheel of bus he was driving. He was charged with breaches of the Disaster Risk Management Act, disobeying a constable and resisting arrest.