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JUTC head admits special needs service struggling due to bus shortage

JUTC Managing Director Paul Abrahams
By Prince Moore    
 
Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) Managing Director Paul Abrahams has acknowledged that the special needs service offered by the bus company is floundering as there is a shortage of buses that provide the service.  
 
Special needs pupils who traverse the 102 route from Rockfort to Papine were left stranded at bus stops or delayed for school this week after buses specifically designed for students with disabilities did not show up.
 
The 102 bus route provides services to students attending School of Hope, Early Stimulation Development Centre, Lister Mair-Gilby High School for the Deaf and other special needs institutions in the Papine/Mona area.
 
Mr. Abrahams said more buses need to be added to the fleet. 
 
"The special needs service greatly needs improvement and I've spoken to the minister that the buses that he's trying his utmost best to get in, the 100 additional buses, that we have to at least consider at least 15 more to be special needs. We are really short on the special needs service," he admitted. 
 
According to Mr. Abrahams, he had previously been assured by the general manager for the depot that controls the 102 route that the buses were being "operated fully for the last few months without any issues".
 
There are usually about 3,000 passengers per month on the route, with a low of 778 in August. 
 
The route is operated by split duty, meaning a bus goes out at 6:00 a.m., breaks at 11:00 a.m., then resumes from at 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
 


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