US$6-million contract signed for 50 JUTC buses
Published:Tuesday | May 31, 2022 | 10:02 PM
The Government will be spending approximately US$6.4 million to acquire 50 buses to increase the fleet of the Jamaica Urban Transit Company.
A contract for the supply of the vehicles was signed today.
Of the total units, 45 will be diesel buses valued at US$5.4 million while the remaining five will be electric buses valuing US$1.1 million.
The vehicles are expected to be delivered between six and nine months, commencing in the last quarter of this year 2022, and will be placed in the Kingston Metropolitan Transport Region.
Minister of Transport and Mining, Audley Shaw; Permanent Secretary, Dr. Alwin Hales; Acting Chief Technical Director, Dawn Smith Fagan and Managing Director of JR Wellington Import and Export Limited, Rennie Wellington participated in the signing.
Wellington's company will supply the units.
In his remarks, Minister Shaw said the newer diesel vehicles “serve as part of the government's thrust towards contributing to greener, cleaner and cheaper transportation”.
He said that electro mobility is becoming more important for road transportation, in the interest of climate change mitigation, reduced air pollution and decreased dependence on foreign oil.
Three charging stations will be built to power the electric buses.
The 50 buses are in addition to another twenty 12-metre Compressed Natural Gas buses to the acquired under the expansion of the Natural Gas Project, in partnership with the New Fortress Energy Company Limited.
The JUTC has about 250 buses in its fleet, many of which are old.
Fire destroyed one today.
READ MORE: Fire destroys JUTC bus in Bull Bay, St Andrew
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