Gov’t to procure 100 new school buses in 2026/27

The Government will be procuring 100 new school buses in fiscal year 2026/27, as part of the second phase in the roll-out of the National Rural School Bus System.

Minister of Energy, Transport and Telecommunications, Daryl Vaz, made the announcement during a press conference hosted at the Ministry’s New Kingston offices on Tuesday.

“Despite the challenges posed by Hurricane Melissa, I am pleased to indicate that the Ministry has already commenced phase two of the programme. Following discussions with the Ministry of Finance [and the Public Service], the [acquisition] has been adjusted to 100 units [down from 150]. The good news, however, is that these will be 100 brand-new school buses—marking a transition from previously used vehicles to new ones,” he stated.

“I can fully understand and support the Ministry of Finance’s position to ask for a reduction in the [number of buses being procured], based on all that we are facing [in relation to Hurricane] Melissa,” the Minister added

Vaz advised that following discussions with Portfolio Minister, Fayval Williams, “we are now preparing to go to the Public Investment Appraisal Branch (PIAB) of the Ministry of Finance, which I know, based on the urgency, we will be able to expedite.”

“We will then be able to go to an international tender of those persons who met the criteria in the expression of interest,” he said.

Vaz affirmed that the Government will continue to review, strengthen, and modernise the rural school bus programme to ensure it delivers real, measurable impact where it matters most.

“The objective is to ensure that children are transported to school safely and economically,” he stated.

Vaz also announced that 100 additional new buses will be procured for the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC), to serve commuters across the Kingston Metropolitan Transport Region (KMTR).

“That last tranche of 100 buses will be done in the 2027/28 financial year, along with the third phase of the rural school bus [system],” he said.

- JIS News

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