Running on empty - JUTC explains buses ignoring Mandela passengers

Chad Bryan, Star Writer

Early on weekdays, persons awaiting public transport along Mandela Highway are often left bewildered as Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) units do not stop to pick them up.

Deputy managing director in charge of operations at the state-run bus company, Kirk Finnikin, points out that these buses, which leave from Spanish Town, are assigned to routes in Kingston and St Andrew. He said that while there are efforts to limit the number of buses deployed in this way, it is impossible to eliminate the method altogether.

"The buses are sent to these destinations in Kingston and St Andrew at a prescribed time, so that passengers can get buses departing on the scheduled time," Finnikin said. "Where possible, the management has reduced the number of these buses seen empty, allowing some to pick up passengers from bus stops along the way. All of these empty buses cannot be eliminated, as passengers in Kingston would receive late buses," Finnikin said.

Addressing the issue

Finnikin noted that the situation also exists in other areas. "The JUTC has assigned routes to bus depots closer to start points for those respective routes to reduce this effect as best as possible," he said.

Approximately 16 buses which depart from Spanish Town are assigned to Cooreville Gardens, Half-Way Tree, Pembroke Hall, Chancery, Chancery Lane, and Meadowbrook.