Commuters are set for a much more comfortable ride on Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) buses, after 50 new Volvo buses were handed over to the Ministry of Transport and Works on Friday (Jan.30) by JR Wellington Import/Export Corp, local agents for Belgian bus-makers, VDL Jonckeere.
Another 50 buses will arrive in the island on April 1, to complete a 100-unit order aimed at beefing up the public bus service and support the new standards being set by the JUTC.
The units, which cost Euro 251,300 each, have cutting edge GPS tracking devices, and other fleet management security features. They are right-hand driven, air-conditioned and of stainless steel quality with seating capacity of 53.
The buses are also equipped with state- of- the-art music systems which, according to Minister of Transport and Works, Mike Henry, will stay tuned to the Public Broadcasting Corporation of Jamaica (PBCJ) to keep the airwaves clean and provide information.
Since 1995, 394 buses have been supplied to Jamaica by VDL Jonckeere, through financing from Commerzbank Belgium, which is often subsidised by the Belgian Government. The study for, and construction of two of the depots used by the JUTC, were also financed by Commerzbank Belgium, as well as the Half- Way-Tree Transport Centre which had significant support from the Belgian Government.
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