PILOT TAKES STUDENTS FREE ON BUFF BAY TO PORT ANTONIO LAUNCH
PORT ANTONIO, Portland; May 5, 2025
What is being called the pilot project for a rural area school bus service rolled off this morning in Portland, with students being transported free of cost.
The service, using a retrofitted American school bus, was launched between Buff Bay, in the West Portland Constituency of Daryl Vaz, Transport Minister, and Port Antonio, the Constituency represented by Ann-Marie Vaz.
Students of Port Antonio High and Titchfield High travelled on the bus and welcomed the service.
Principal of Titchfield High Richard Thompson, who was at the launch, also expressed pleasure at the service.
For May, Child Month, children will be transported free, but after that will pay $30 for a trip.
(interview: from left, MP for West Portland, Transport Minister Daryl Vaz, Principal of Titchfield High School Richard Thompson, Titchfield student Renicka Silvera and Ann-Marie Vaz at the launch in Portland)
Transport Minister Vaz said this would mean significant savings for parents who now have to provide up to $150 for a one-way trip for students.
Students using public transport in Portland generally have to endure long waits for taxis and buses, and are often packed in, well beyond the legal capacity of the vehicles.
(Drivers for the new school bus service, Bryan Hartley and Rohan Passley)
The service is also to run between Port Antonio and Hector’s River, on the Portland border with St Thomas, where Happy Grove High School is located. Students at that school face a terrible transport problem, often resulting in them being late for school or not getting there at all on some days. A bus is to be made available soon from the JUTC fleet for that part of the service.
Watch students disembark from the first trip of the pilot
