Vaz defends rural school bus system, labels PNP criticism as ‘false and reckless’

Transport Minister Daryl Vaz is blasting the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) for politicising the implementation of the rural school bus system, which he says will ultimately benefit all Jamaicans.

“I wish to categorically reject their allegations as false, reckless, and a desperate attempt to use our children to attain power at any and all cost. This must never be forgotten, and they must be judged and rejected out of hand for these wicked and evil thoughts,” Vaz said.

Speaking today at a press conference, Vaz accused the PNP of spreading misinformation about the buses in a bid to score political points.

PNP President and Opposition Leader Mark Golding and Opposition Senator Peter Bunting have been vocal in their criticisms of the rural bus system, maintaining that the buses are old and unsuitable for Jamaica’s hilly terrain and pose a safety risk to students and pedestrians.

Read: Bunting Doubles Down

Describing the assertions as “unfortunate and disingenuous,” Vaz declared that the rural bus system, which will commence in September, will benefit all rural students and parents.

He said the buses will address the inconvenience and danger faced by students, the high transportation costs faced by parents, reduce absenteeism, and ultimately improve academic performance.

In Phase 1 of the initiative, 100 buses will be deployed to cover 258 schools across Jamaica, with an additional 10 reserved for contingency.

Students will be charged a flat fare of $50.

“It is indeed unfortunate that in 2025, our level of political maturity, in and out of election season, is not where it should be—where we are all able to collaborate and agree to disagree in a civil manner, while always looking out for those we serve, or those we want to serve—and that is the people of Jamaica,” Vaz said.

He stated that the average age of the buses is 10 years, noting that the average age of buses and cars in the country’s current transportation system is between 14 and 18 years.

He also said the buses have less mileage and a better maintenance history compared to vehicles currently in use in the island’s transportation system.

Vaz said the average mileage of the buses is 135,000 kilometres, with some having as low as 70,000 kilometres.

“The suggestion that previously immobile, discarded buses were purchased is false. The buses purchased have at least 80 per cent of their mechanical life left and are fully functional,” he stated.

He said the United States was chosen to source the buses as the American system has a “robust combination of safety, reliability, advanced technology, and an attractive total cost of ownership.”

Further, he said a team of local and international experts inspected the buses to ensure they were appropriate for Jamaica.

“We did not buy buses based on pictures. We sent a team from the JUTC [Jamaica Urban Transit Company] along with the supplier to go and inspect and select the buses that we deemed suitable for Jamaicans,” he said.

He said all 110 buses will be on the island by the end of July.

Among the fleet are 47 units with 32 seats equipped with engines designed to navigate remote areas, 38 54-seater units, and 25 units designed to seat 72 people.

The Transport Minister also shared the government’s intention to import an additional 200–300 buses over the next two years to serve 625 schools.

In a statement Tuesday morning, Opposition Spokesman on Transport Mikail Phillips said that while the PNP supports the implementation of a comprehensive rural transportation system, it must be grounded in safety, operational efficiency, and specifications suitable to the Jamaican terrain for long-term sustainability.

The current government initiative, which involves the importation of decommissioned buses for use on rural routes, raises serious concerns on all three fronts, he said.

He also raised concerns that the implementation of the rural school bus system will run private bus operators—who currently transport students to school—out of business.

He shared plans by the PNP to expand this existing structure to benefit more students and to engage trusted transport operators, vetted and contracted through schools, to support student transport in remote or low-density areas where a full bus route may not be feasible.

- Sashana Small

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