Students and adults wait on buses at the bus stop in Cross Roads adjacent to the Carib Theatre. - Riccardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

The Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) is having difficulties meeting the demand for commuters who wish to utilise its services, according to Reginald Allen, director of communications in the Ministry of Transport and Works.

"We have a challenge in putting the desired rollout of buses," Allen told The Gleaner yesterday while noting he had received reports that commuters in Portmore, St Catherine, were impacted significantly last week because of an inadequate rollout of buses.

"There has always been a shortage a (of buses) and for quite some time we have had some problems," Allen admitted.

He said the JUTC has had to creatively deploy buses, taking some off routes and placing them at others, in peak hours, or where there are commuter needs.

Sharp increase in demand

"As we go, we deploy and redeploy as necessary," Allen added. "A major problem is a sharp increase in the demand for JUTC. In many cases we are not able to meet demand."

He said a significant portion of the JUTC's fleet consists of a 'fairly aged unit' as some of the buses range from eight to 10 years old. This poses additional problems.

"From time to time, we have had problems with spare parts," said Allen, adding that a significant number of the buses are not able to stay on the road for an entire day, because of defects. "We try to send out as few buses as possible with faults," he said.

Allen said the company was now focusing on long-term measures to solve the reliability challenge that it is encountering. These include obtaining a fleet of new buses, which are expected to be in the island by March next year, and reducing the variety of buses in the fleet to allow for better fleet management.

kimesha.walters@gleanerjm.com