Bobby boards bus - Transport minister says JUTC delivering exceptional service
Published:Wednesday | August 8, 2018 | 12:00 AMSyranno Baines/Gleaner Writer
Transport Minister Robert Montague has said that the state-owned Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) is offering an exceptional service given the resources at its disposal and that the commuters, for the most part, are quite pleased.
Montague yesterday interacted with the travelling public on and off a JUTC bus to get their views on, among other things, the quality of service, staff members, and ideas for improvement. The transport minister and a team from the JUTC boarded a bus from Three Miles to Half-Way Tree, then from Half-Way Tree to Crossroads, and then back to Half-Way Tree in the Corporate Area.
"The members of the public riding on the buses were very complimentary about our JUTC staff, how courteous they were and their dealings with the public in general," Montague told members of the media during a briefing at the end of his tour at the Half-Way Tree Transport Centre.
"We had one or two comments about one or two staff members not being as courteous as they would expect, but overall, it was a good day. We learned a lot. We have made very good notes in terms of ideas from the public to improve the service, and we will be incorporating those ideas going forward," he added.
"As we move to improve our transportation system, we will be striving to do more for our customers because [they] are the kings and queens and our bosses. We are striving to improve the service to bring it to First World [standard] within the resources that we have," he continued.
Montague further stated that the vast majority of commuters said that the buses often turned up clean as he appealed to passengers to litter less.
EXERCISE MORE PATIENCE
He also used the opportunity to apologise to taxi operators, passengers, and business persons along Hagley Park Road for the inconvenience being caused by the ongoing road-improvement project.
"We asked them to exercise more patience as the road construction goes because it's the cost of development. We apologise for the inconveniences, but there has to be some level of inconvenience while we strive to improve the infrastructure as the Government moves to implement the prosperity agenda.
"We seek the people's patience and understanding, and while people complain, they understand the vision and they see where we are trying to move the country to with the improvements in infrastructure," he contended.