Rural School Bus Programme could rack up over $871 million in expenses for the 2026/27 financial year

The Rural School Bus Programme could rack up over $871 million in expenses for the 2026/27 financial year.

Permanent Secretary in the Transport Ministry, Kedesha Campbell Rochester, made the disclosure during this morning’s sitting of the Public Administration and Appropriation Committee in Parliament.

The programme, which was officially launched in September 2025, is being operated by a separate depot within the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC), with a separate staffing allocation.

Campbell Rochester offered a breakdown of the projected expenses.

When asked by Committee Chair Peter Bunting about the projected revenues, the permanent secretary noted that the figure has not materialised, citing a low take-up of bus cards by students.