The
JUTC is truly cash-strapped indeed! They’re so desperate to get everyone on the
SmarterCard train that they’ve granted yet another
extension, this time till Sunday September 14th 2014 as stated in “JUTC extends
cashless system deadline”, Published Saturday September 6, 2014, The Jamaica Gleaner.
This
now being revealed almost a week after the JUTC (Jamaica Urban Transit Company)
had granted a previous extension to Sunday September 7th 2014 as
stated in “JUTC
gives another week before Smarter card use becomes mandatory for concession
passengers”, Published Monday September 1, 2014 7:33 pm, The Jamaica Gleaner.
This
courtesy was extended to commuters travelling within the KMTR (Kingston
Metropolitan Transport Region) to pick up their SmarterCard at the Half-Way-Tree
Transport Center and other locations as declared in my blog article
entitled “JUTC
SmarterCard Launch not very Smart – Options for KMTR commuters needed purchase
and top-up SmarterCard before Cashless Sunday”.
Heck,
even on the very Sunday September 7th 2014, the JUTC had extended
opening hours at its various SmarterCard outlets as explained in the article “JUTC extends
time for Smarter Cards”, Published Sunday September 7, 2014, The Jamaica Gleaner.
According
to the JUTC, they’d issued some 20,000 cards in the week of Sunday 24th
August 2014 with a further 15,000 during the week of Sunday 31st
August 2014 as stated in the article “JUTC rejects
SMARTER Card bungling claims”, published Tuesday September 2, 2014 9:06 am,
The Jamaica Gleaner, brushing aside
claims that the SmarterCard rollout was poorly organized.
Still,
that’s not what I experienced when I went to the Half-Way-Tree Transport Center
on Monday September 1st 2014 to get SmarterCard for the Blake Family
as I’d chronicled in my blog article entitled
“JUTC's
AVL and Chaos on Back to School Day –
How JUTC's Automatic Vehicle Locator may placate Smartphone toting
Commuters who ask Are we There Yet”.
But
it looks like they’re getting the hang of things now
JUTC SmarterCard
Distribution wises up – No problems while getting SmarterCards
So
at least some good news this week with regards to the JUTC SmarterCard.
Best
of all, even before the week ended, the JUTC has granted yet another extension,
this time till Sunday September 14th 2014 as stated in “JUTC extends
cashless system deadline”, Published Saturday September 6, 2014, The Jamaica Gleaner when all Cash
Transactions will cease and only SmarterCards will be accepted as a means of
payment on the JUTC Buses.
Also
in addition to the Half-Way-Tree Transport Center, to which PAMS (Port
Authority Management Services Limited) has added an extra service counter, bringing
the number up to 17, you can also get your SmarterCards at the following
locations:
1.
Spanish Town Bus Park
2.
East Parade in Downtown Kingston
Truth
be told, the lines has gotten shorter and the commuters less boisterous and
calmer, as I was surprised to discover when I went to pick up the SmarterCards
for the Blake Family on Thursday September 11th 2014.
It
was also a much smoother affair, as I got through with signing up for the
SmarterCards and standing in line to get them in little over an hour and 30
minutes. It was fairly straightforward, with no hassle, save for having to
present the GOJ ID i.e. Voter's ID's for Mr. and Mrs. Blake, who were senior
citizens.
So
truly, the experience of GETTING the smarter card has improved. However I'll have
to get one myself to state if the JUTC service has improved in any way, as
Technically I'm STILL boycotting the JUTC as stated in my blog article
entitled “JLP
plans islandwide Bus Fare Protests - Audit of the JUTC needed as JUTC may be
Campaign Cash Cow for Local and General Elections”.
JUTC up to their necks
in Lawsuits – No GOJ to bail them out despite Fare Increase
Turns
out the JUTC is up to its neck in Lawsuits with regards to its Buses being
involved in crashes while plying their various routes as stated in the article
“JUTC
can't pay for crashes”, Published Friday September 12, 2014, by Tyrone
Thompson, Staff Reporter, The Jamaica
Gleaner.
According
to an investigation being done by The
Jamaica Gleaner and subsequent information obtained via the Access to
Information Act, the JUTC and by extension the GOJ (Government of Jamaica) owes
Litigants money for claims relating to these crashes.
Chairman
of the JUTC, the Reverend Garnett Roper makes this plain as he explains, quote:
“When you compute the total number of trips, the size of the vehicles, the size
of the road network, the lack of bus lanes, all of those things mean that the
road infrastructure is not entirely appropriate to the size vehicles we
operate. So bearing [in mind] all those factors, you could have as many as four
to six accidents per day or 180 accidents per month, but we have managed to
dramatically reduce those numbers”.
Information
obtained by The Jamaica Gleaner through the Access to Information Act
revealed that for the period January 2012 to December 2013:
1.
JA$18.5 million is budgeted to pay for
property damaged by its Buses
2.
JA$12.3 million received claims for
crashes
3.
JA$3.8 million in received claims paid
out
More
recently, the JUTC owes some JA$48.7 million awarded by the courts to four
passengers injured in a Bus incident involving one of its Buses. Currently the
JUTC owes persons involved in the 2010 Crash, with attorney-at-law Sean
Kinghorn representing the claimants as stated in the article JUTC Given 21
Days To Pay $106m To 30 Bus Crash Victims, Published Wednesday November 6,
2013 12:25 pm Barbara Gayle, Justice Coordinator, The Jamaica Gleaner and “Bailiff beaten
- Attempted to seize JUTC bus”, April 16 2014, The Jamaica Star.
Very
bad indeed, as the JUTC has a massive repair and fuel bill, which they’ve
decided to keep an eye on this time around as stated in Unleaded E10 as stated
in “JUTC
keeps watch on petrol”, Published Saturday August 30, 2014, The Jamaica Gleaner.
JUTC losing Billions
each Year – PAAC Hearing on Wednesday may recommend an Audit
More
recently, the JUTC is said to be losing some JA$300 million dollars per month,
according to a report received by the PAAC (Public Administration and
Appropriations Committee), which in Parliament is chaired by MP Edmund
Bartlett.
This
sorta explains JLP (Jamaica Labour Party) Leader Andrew Holness’ plans to stage
islandwide protests as pointed out in my blog article
entitled “JLP
plans islandwide Bus Fare Protests - Audit of the JUTC needed as JUTC may be
Campaign Cash Cow for Local and General Elections”. So I guess his plans
aren’t half-baked after all!
The
Figures for the JUTC Losses break down as follows:
1.
JA$302 million per month since the start
of 2014
2.
JA$1.2 billion in losses for the period
April to July 2014
3.
JA$765.6 million grant from the Ministry
of Finance
4.
JA$44.6 million is the current losses to
date
More
details may be forthcoming as Managing Director of the JUTC Colin Campbell
along with his management team is slated to meet with the PAAC on Wednesday September
17th 2014 at 9:00am sharp. Something tell me this is going to be a
televised event, especially given the introduction of the SmarterCard and the
Fare hike, all of which in the Public's eye appear very unfair.
All
this in a month when the JUTC has finally decided to increased the fares and
roll out the JUTC SmarterCard System as described in my blog article
entitled “JUTC
SmarterCard Rollout and Fare Hike Postponed – Why I'll be boycotting JUTC Buses
anyway as they're not trying to Save Money”.
JUTC Losses and
SmarterCard – KMTR Commuters get Cashless Reprieve as JUTC faces PAAC
It
just isn’t JUTC’s Month. And it may not be their year either if the losses
continue, prompting the PAAC to recommend an external Audit as recommended by
former Attorney General Greg Christie in the article “Greg Christie
Backs JUTC Audit”, Published Monday August 25, 2014 1:18 pm by Jerome
Reynolds, Staff Reporter, The Jamaica
Gleaner. This would verify where the money is really going.
Still,
I just can’t help but think that this is just an elaborate ruse as stated in my
blog article
entitled “JUTC
SmarterCard Launch not very Smart – Options for KMTR commuters needed purchase
and top-up SmarterCard before Cashless Sunday”.
So
while the commuting public in the KMTR gets yet another reprieve from going
Cashless until Sunday September 17th 2014, the real drama is set to
unfold later in the week, and most likely making the front pages of in The Jamaica Gleaner, The Jamaica Observer as well as
headline news at CVM TV as well as on Television Jamaica.
We’ll
know come Wednesday September 17th 2014 when the PAAC will reveal
all to the Public eager to know if the JUTC is indeed running at a loss or has
money being misappropriated to fund the PNP’s Local government or General
Elections.
KMTR
Commuters, walk good, as I’m continuing my boycott of the JUTC!
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