Buses for big people - JUTC tries to reclaim adult passengers

Sheldon Williams, Gleaner Writer

Marketing and communications manager at the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC), Clinton Clarke, has made it clear that there is no discrimination or malice behind the company's decision to use a pricing strategy on part of its fleet to target adult passengers.

The buses, which were introduced to the company's fleet last year, have been labelled 'adult only' buses by some members of the commuting public. However, Clarke explained the rationale for targeting adults with the transportation option, and explained that children can also take the buses - if they are willing to pay the same price as adults.

"We have that kind of service now, but it is not a concession bus," Clarke said. The buses are identified by a $100 sign placed prominently on the windscreen. Clarke said if a student can afford to pay the $100, he or she will not be prohibited from travelling on these buses.

Reason behind the strategy

Clarke said the strategy was introduced because the JUTC was losing adult passengers. "In the past, our ridership had declined because adult passengers had difficulty travelling on our other buses with children and their bad behaviour," he explained. He added: "It is not a facility to discriminate against others. It just gives adults another choice to travel."

Clarke explained that the special buses "run across routes where we would have lost a significant number of our passengers in downtown, Half-Way Tree, Spanish Town and Portmore".