JUTC discontinues free bus ride programme to essential workers

Effective February 14, the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) says it will discontinue its free bus ride programme to essential workers.

The JUTC said this was as a result of financial constraints made worse by COVID-19.

In April 2020, Minister of Transport and Mining, Robert Montague, announced that first responders will be allowed to ride free on JUTC buses as well as Montego Bay (MoBay) Metro Buses, during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

At that time, Montague said the programme would last until Sunday, May 31, 2020, after which time it would be reviewed.

The free bus ride programme came on the heels of reports that taxi drivers across the island were barring nurses from their vehicles, out of fear that they may contract the respiratory virus.

Minister of Health, Dr Chris Tufton, had warned taxi drivers that the Government may confiscate their licences if they continued to bar nurses from accessing their services.

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