JUTC testing cashless fare collection system

In an effort to better secure the day-to-day fares collected by the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) and to safeguard the cash of commuters, the government-owned company has started testing a cashless fare collection system which could soon be the only payment method for rides. 

The pilot project will run for six months. 

Daryl Vaz, Minister of Transport, made the announcement during the post-Cabinet press briefing on Wednesday at Jamaica House. 

"Of course, the cashless pilot is on and I think that is going to be a big, big help in relation to the viability of the JUTC, which, as we know, it takes billions of dollars out of the budget every year for subsidy," Vaz said.  

"The use of cash for JUTC is definitively not a prudent way, because the fact of the matter is that you only collect a small percentage of what is passing through and that's the reality. Not to mention what happens with everything else, the oil; everything else that happens, so we're doing a fuel management using technology as all other companies around the world that run big fleets are using," he said. 

The recently-minted transport minister also spoke of plans for a rural school bus transportation system as a major part of his vision for public transport in Jamaica.

He believes such a system would be a major driver for behaviour change among students. 

"It can operate in two ways, publicly-owned buses as well as franchise services, to provide the services. All drivers and conductors thoroughly vetted/trained in a youthfully friendly approach, violence prevention, order enforcement to prevent fights and brawls on the buses and in public spaces, a bias towards female drivers and conductors, pre-recorded and approved audio-visual messaging and music to be played on the bus. This can form part of the resocialisation strategy, behaviour change modification for the youth, which is so important," Vaz said. 

"Part of that vision is a rural school bus transportation that, as a rural MP [Member of Parliament, is critical and one of my biggest priorities... You're talking about kids who are leaving their homes from at 2 o'clock in the morning to walk for miles to get to the nearest point of where they can get public transport, then they have to go through the public transport being disrespected and abused or left because their fares are much less than adults. They then leave schools in the afternoon at 2, 3 o'clock after the activities or 4 o'clock and don't get home until 10 o'clock at night, so what kind of learning environment is that for those youngsters, some of whom have the most amazing potential and are only doing that because of circumstances of their parents," he said. 

He also said public transportation is regarded by the population as a key enabler of national prosperity and development, characterised by efficiency, convenience, safety, security, reliability, affordability and pleasant, but that vision versus what obtains now is almost the total opposite in Jamaica, especially in the urban areas. 

Vaz said to help rid transportation problems affecting children, he has a draft terms of reference that he has already established for the implementation of a safe and secure transport system for a rural transport system for students. 

- Ainsworth Morris

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