Government plans to expand the services of the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) outside the Kingston Metropolitan Transport Region (KMTR), a move which will reflect its commitment to provide safe, reliable and affordable transportation to new and expanding communities and to rural parishes, Transport Minister Daryl Vaz has announced.

Vaz told journalists on Tuesday that the first phase of the JUTC’s route expansion was introduced in November 2024 to facilitate the new housing development in the greater Bernard Lodge in St Catherine, namely Silver Sun Estate, Phoenix Park Village 1 and 2 and Old Harbour.

According to Vaz, a large numbers of commuters are using the services, reflecting the growing reliance on public transportation in these areas and the importance of continued expansion and service enhancements to meet commuter needs effectively.

The minister said the aim of the JUTC expansion is not to compete with PPV operators or displace them in the public transport sector, but rather to provide professional, safe, reliable and affordable transportation, a standard by which public transportation will be defined.

“The JUTC is also seeking to expand services to new and premium routes including route 311 to Catherine Estates, Mandeville to May Pen, Montego Bay to Lucea and Negril. That will happen out of the Montego Bay Depot. These expansions are important to meet the growing demand for public transportation and improving connectivity across the island especially with the infrastructure that this government is putting in, in terms of road networks.

“Since the inception of the newest service routes, the JUTC has recorded a total of 115, 742 passengers that have been transported, averaging 2,561 passengers daily across 14 routes. Among the premium routes, Silver Sun Estate route [135 and 137] have collectively transported 7,751 passengers while Phoenix Park Village 1 and 2, serviced by buses 309 and 310 transporting 5, 938 passengers. The regular service routes have shown significant usage with route 501 from Old Harbour to May Pen leading the count at 23, 346 passengers.

“Other high traffic routes include 701 from Yallahs to downtown, Kingston with 22, 900 passengers and route 702 from Morant Bay to downtown Kingston, with 16, 280 passengers. Additionally, routes such as the 504 route from Chapleton to May Pen has transported 3,556 passengers. Route 502 from Lionel Town to May Pen and route 503 from Toll gate to May Pen have each surpassed 8, 000 passengers highlighting the strong commuter demand on these corridors,” Vaz highlighted.

Vaz added that on JUTC’s 605 route from Linstead to Spanish Town, 5, 496 passengers were transported since November. He said that on the 511 route, from May Pen to Spanish Town, 5, 170 passengers were transported, while route 52 B from Castleton to Half-Way-Tree facilitated 2,067 passengers.