KINGSTON, Jamaica – As the Government continues to build out the country’s road network under the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project (SCHIP), the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) is looking to expand operations to two routes covered by the project.

These are Williamsfield in Manchester and Albion in St Thomas.

Telecommunications and Transport Minister Daryl Vaz made the disclosure at the recent opening of the SCHIP Part A (May Pen to Williamsfield) segment.

“As we build out the infrastructure, we need to provide public transportation. So, I am pleased to announce that we are looking at JUTC in relation to expanding the routes to Williamsfield and Albion in St Thomas.

“[We] are also opening up the routes for larger buses [that are] privately owned that can be licensed, so that we can take the schoolchildren in, and of course commuters, easily,” the Minister said.

In addition, Vaz said that six new buses will be arriving on the island in October and another 14 in January.

These will add to the 50 units recently acquired for the State-owned company, which the Minister said has been helpful in reducing wait times at the Half Way Tree Transport Centre.

“We are presently trying to work with the Ministry of Finance and Public Service in terms of re-fleeting; more will be said on that,” he noted.

– JIS