JUTC developing special student card for rural school buses

 

The Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) is developing a special student card with a built-in security alert feature designed for use on rural school buses.

 

Education Minister Dr. Dana Morris Dixon, who made the disclosure during Wednesday's post-cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, urged parents to accompany their children to sign up for the card.

 

"It is that card that the students will start using very soon to swipe when they go on the bus, and when they swipe that card, each parent will get an alert that they have entered the bus. They will get an alert also when they have left the bus. So you notice we're not just doing school buses, you know. Jamaica, does things bigger. And so that is very important, and it's an important feature of our school buses, and so we're encouraging parents to go and sign up. And of course, as you sign up, you have to give your phone number because we have to send the messages to someone," she encouraged.

 

The National Rural School Bus Programme officially launched on September 8, with 60 buses deployed island-wide. 

 

Dr. Morris Dixon expressed satisfaction with the programme's implementation thus far. 

 

She reiterated that students will continue to ride the designated buses free of charge until the end of October. Thereafter, a subsidised fare of $50 per trip will be charged.

 

An additional 40 buses are expected to be deployed by November.