JUTC SmarterCard improves - Why JUTC faces PAAC for Operations and Lawsuits Billions as KMTR Commuters Cashless Reprieve

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 14^th 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 7^th 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 7^th 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 24^th August 2014 with a further 15,000 during the week of Sunday 31^st 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 1^st 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 14^th 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 11^th 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.

Earlier in August 2014, the JUTC had claimed is in addition to the fact that the JUTC claims that they're losing some JA$10 million dollars a day as stated in “Subsidy Bleed - JUTC Loses $10m On Fares Every Day”, Published: Friday August 22, 2014, The Jamaica Gleaner.

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 17^th 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 17^th 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 17^th 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!