Jamaica / Local Transport

Getting around Jamaica by public transport can be something of an adventure. It is a good way to get a true feel for Jamaican life, but as a method of transport it is time-consuming and not that comfortable. Buses are usually hot, crowded and often noisy - on board they play the latest tunes at high volume to get things really swinging, or to keep the driver happy at least. It is at least easy on the pocket, but most Jamaicans avoid it if they can, and they should know...

The Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) operates the bus services in and around the Kingston, Spanish Town and Portmore areas (Kingston Metropolitan Transport Region - KMTR) with a fleet of more than 600 Volvo and Mercedes-Benz buses. The traffic in Kingston seems completely chaotic - drivers nose for gaps in the crowd as they get moving, then bob and weave in the traffic, dodging potholes and posses of school kids, overtaking in the blink of an eye when a gap appears.

The system for long distance travel is a little different. The routes are run by private minibus services, which link the main towns, and from where local services fan out to cover nearby areas. It is possible to reach pretty much anywhere in Jamaica, but it is best to start off early in the day. The traffic on the other hand is not much different from in the town. It’s just that the drivers perform all the same manoeuvres at higher speed, so it can get a bit hair-raising. Private minibuses do not depart according to a timetable. They operate to some mystical schedule in which they leave at a second’s notice on the whim of the driver. Usually this is when the bus is full, but it may be before if he thinks he will pick up fares along the way.

In order to catch a bus, head down to the bus station in the town (there is usually just one per town, but Kingston has two – downtown for the North Coast and Half Way Tree for Spanish Town and Mandeville). Ask around for the bus for your destination, and at the same time you might want to find out the fare. Then confirm the fare with the driver before you board a bus. You may not have to pay until later, but it is a good idea to have the agreement before you board. Out on the road you will be picked up almost anywhere. Signal to the driver by pointing rapidly and repeatedly at the ground.

The other main method of public transport, particularly around the main towns other than Kingston, are the route taxis. These are shared taxis, which cost a little more than the bus (but considerably less than a private cab). If anything their drivers are even more infamous than minibus drivers. At the speed that they go you might think that they were trying to take off. And yet they assume the invulnerability of a tank. Be warned.

Non-profit organisations and Government links:
Timetables can be viewed on Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) website, www.JUTC.com