MONTEGO BAY, St James — The operations of Montego Bay Metro got a significant shot in the arm on Thursday with the addition of 12 new buses to the ailing fleet of the State-owned company.

Transport Minister Daryl Vaz visited the Bogue depot where he highlighted the significance of placing additional buses in western Jamaica, a move that will, he said, service more routes.

“This is going to make a huge impact in the back-to-school [period] and the routes that are served,” he told journalists gathered in the bus bay with the vehicles.

“They are going to upgrade from servicing five schools to nine and they are going to continue to serve four parishes, moving from five routes to 11 routes,” he said.

Eight buses are now in the depot and an additional four are scheduled to arrive on the weekend. Those 12, plus the six already in operation, will provide a significant boost, according to Minister Vaz.

“Basically people will see a much improved, efficient service. All of the buses are air-conditioned so in this summer heat [passengers] will get some relief,” he stated.

“This is a new beginning for Montego Bay and the area that is served,” he added.

Vaz had previously said that privatisation was being considered for the bus company. When quizzed about that, he again said no final decision had yet been reached as all the factors involved had to be taken into account.

“It is something we are looking at, but the fact of the matter is that we have to be mindful that public transportation by government is always cheaper than private transportation,” he said.

“It is also a big driver of inflation which, of course, we have to manage, so that the food prices and all that doesn’t go up. So we have to be very careful in relation to any decision that we make to protect the less fortunate and the vulnerable,” he added.

Vaz also said that the Government is looking at adding buses that are more suitable to traverse difficult terrain.

“I will be making allocations out of the next order of buses so that some of the buses that come here from the next order will be able to ply what I call the rural routes,” he said.

“In Kingston we have the same sort of routes that require smaller buses to navigate the roads and the topography of the parishes. In Kingston we call them the hill routes and I suspect you probably call them [the same thing] here,” he said.

Vaz also pointed out that of the 12 buses, two are equipped to accommodate passengers with special needs.

Additionally, he said the Government is looking at allocating buses to other parishes.

“It’s a holistic approach and it’s an all-island approach that we are working towards,” he said.

Montego Bay Metro General Manager Dr Shauna Gaye Brown welcomed the addition to the fleeting, noting that before only five to six buses were operational over the last two years.

“It is of significant help. The motoring public has been beseeching us, the demand and cries of the people have been long-standing and we have been lobbying and negotiating on behalf of them,” she said.

“I am happy that today we are here… receiving 12 buses in our fleet, bringing us to 18,” she said, adding that Savanna-la-Mar and Bethel Town will be among the new routes to be served by the additional units.

The development, she said, means that the company will need additional staff.

“We are seeking applications, so if persons are out there who are interested in serving — driving especially — we are asking them to reach out to the Montego Bay Metro,” she said.