Phillips questions JUTC's move onto rural stage carriage routes

 

Opposition Spokesman on Transport Mikael Phillips is seeking clarification from Transport Minister Daryl Vaz regarding the Jamaica Urban Transit Company's move on to existing rural stage carriage routes without observing the provisions of the laws governing rural transport or conducting any financial due diligence. 

 

In a statement on Friday, Mr. Phillips said the clarification was necessary following the JUTC's announcement that it was abandoning its failed express service route to Ocho Rios and converting it into a regular Kingston to Ocho Rios route. 

 

He pointed to Transport Authority regulations which require origin and destination surveys as well as seat assessments before a rural stage carriage licence can be issued to an operator for rural routes. 

 

The opposition spokesman noted that only the Transport Authority is authorised to issue rural stage carriage licences and said the JUTC was therefore in breach by effectively awarding itself such licences. 

 

"As I've said before, you can't just jump into routes without following the law. The Transport Authority regulations are clear. Origin of destination surveys and seat assessments are required before a rural stage carriage licence can be issued. The JUTC is breaching the law by awarding itself rural licence. Only the Transport Authority can issue these licence. Minister Vaz, why is the JUTC abandoning the failed express service to Ocho Rios and poaching on rural routes already licensed to private operators?" he questioned.

 

Mr. Phillips again called for the minister to remove the current leadership of the JUTC. 

 

"The JUTC has an exclusive licence for stage carriage in the KMTR, but their service has been inadequate for nine years. They are 10,000 feet short of the daily requirement of 25,000. Minister Vaz made public the performance reports of the JUTC service on these rural express routes. The Ocho Rios route is poorly supported and a financial drain to the JUTC. Reports show passenger loads as low as 10 persons on a 53-seater unit. Minister Vaz, you're failing in your duty to hold JUTC management accountable," the opposition spokesman asserted, demanding that the minister "Stop the experiments at taxpayers' expense." 

 

Mr. Phillips said the Transport Authority should immediately consider whether there is any regulatory approval for the JUTC's announcement.