PORTLAND, Jamaica—Transport Minister Daryl Vaz says there will be an earlier departure time for the new Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) bus route, 710, from Port Antonio to Kingston, which will allow Portlanders to arrive in Kingston in a safe and timely manner.

The new bus route, which officially rolled out on Wednesday, will now depart Port Antonio at 5:30 am for arrival in Kingston at 8:30 am.

“When I got to Port Antonio at this function, I inquired about the new JUTC bus. And I was told that it left Kingston at 5:30, got here at 7:30 am, two hours, and turned around in one hour, leaving at 8:30 on time. I inquired from the MD (managing director) why was the bus leaving from Kingston and not from Port Antonio? Because it is for the Port Antonio citizens to be able to go to Kingston on a timely, safe manner. I’m pleased to announce that we are switching it around, and the bus is going to leave from Port Antonio to Kingston, and then the Kingston people who want to come and enjoy the safest, most beautiful parish in paradise can take an easy stroll down and spend the day,” Vaz said.

He was speaking at the launch of the new bus route on Wednesday in Port Antonio Square.

“We have already found a place for the bus to be housed in Port Antonio. So that will happen almost immediately,” Vaz said. “I wanted to make sure that that is implemented so that the people of Portland can go and get to Kingston in time for business and be able to return safely.”

The introduction of the new 710 bus route will connect residents between Port Antonio via St Thomas to Downtown Kingston.

(Video: Everard Owen)