Gov’t Rural School Bus Testing in High Gear – Over Half of Routes Completed by End of Day!

August 5, 2025 | McKoy’s News – The Government’s long-anticipated Rural School Bus System is picking up speed across the island, with 63 of the planned 122 routes expected to complete test runs by the end of today.

With the full rollout scheduled for the start of the September 2025 school term, Transport Minister Daryl Vaz says the initiative is on track — despite a few bumps in the road.

Recently, 30 routes were successfully tested in Manchester, rural St Andrew, St James, and Hanover. According to a post by Minister Vaz on his X (formerly Twitter) account, things have been running smoothly, with only minor tweaks needed before the grand launch.

“The process is progressing well. Minor adjustments are being made to perfect the routes,” the Minister shared.

However, not all was perfect — the test runs revealed issues with the current tyres on the buses. In swift response, Vaz confirmed that new, more durable tyres have been ordered and are expected to be fully installed before the September rollout.

In the meantime, the existing tyres will remain in use as testing and retrofitting of the fleet continue.

Today’s leg of the test drive sees buses rolling into Portland, St Mary, Westmoreland, and Clarendon. By sunset, more than half of the rural routes will have been assessed, with the remaining ones scheduled over the coming weeks.

The Ministry also announced that three different bus sizes have been procured, and based on testing data, the most suitable type will be strategically assigned to each route.

Minister Vaz is urging the public to stay tuned to official channels for updates and dismissed speculation online. He reaffirmed his commitment to transparency and a safe, reliable transport solution for Jamaica’s rural students.

“What we learn this week will be crucial. We’re doing this for the children, and we’re making sure it’s done right,” said Vaz.