Government Projects $871 Million Cost for Rural School Bus Programme in 2026/2027

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Government is expected to spend more than $871 million to operate the Rural School Bus Programme during the 2026/2027 financial year.

The projected expenditure was disclosed by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Kadesha Campbell Rochester, during a recent meeting of Parliament’s Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC).

Campbell Rochester outlined several major cost components associated with the programme. She indicated that driver salaries and wages are estimated to exceed $630 million. Payments for dispatchers are expected to total more than $50 million.

Additional operational expenses include approximately $7 million allocated for maintenance, more than $4 million for driver incentives, and roughly $114 million set aside to cover other programme-related costs.

During the committee session, the permanent secretary also noted that projected revenue figures are not currently available. She explained that the limited uptake of bus cards by students has made it difficult to estimate expected earnings from the system.

The Rural School Bus Programme was introduced in September last year as part of efforts to provide safer and more affordable transportation for students living in rural communities across Jamaica.

However, the initiative has drawn public attention and scrutiny following the Government’s $1.4-billion purchase of 110 used school buses.

In response to the concerns, the Auditor General’s Department has launched an investigation into the programme. The probe is intended to determine whether the procurement process and contract management followed Jamaica’s public procurement laws, regulations, and established guidelines, while also assessing whether the acquisition delivered value for money.

A report on the findings is expected to be released during the July to September quarter later this year.