Transport Minister Mike Henry, has ordered an immediate audit of the state-owned bus company, the Jamaica Urban Transit Company, JUTC.
Mr. Henry says the audit has become necessary because the JUTC is at a crucial juncture.
Minister Henry says the bus company is in urgent need of Government support.
He says the audit will help to identify the critical operational issues impacting the efficiency of the bus company.
In a release from the Transport Ministry this afternoon, Minister Henry says there are too many issues plaguing the JUTC.
These he says include the company’s aging fleet of buses, its credit arrangements for fuel and spare-parts, additional equipment to support the fare collection system and a refurbishing programme to enhance fleet output.
According to Minister Henry, despite the prolonged period of low fuel costs operational expenses at the JUTC remain high.
He says he’s also concerned about the number of crashes involving the buses and the impact this is having on the company’s budget.
Minister Henry says the JUTC urgently needs 3-hundred-and-5 new buses over the next two years to meet its growing demand but he says only 30 of those buses can be accommodated in this year’s budget.
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