Samuda Announces Three Electric Buses for UTech, CMU and HEART/NSTA Under E-Mobility Push

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Three uniformly specified 12-metre battery-electric buses are set to enter service at the University of Technology (UTech), the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) and the HEART/NSTA Trust, as part of the Government's wider electric mobility agenda.

Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change Matthew Samuda announced the rollout on Tuesday during his Sectoral Debate presentation in the House of Representatives. He said a January validation workshop had locked in the design of the pilot, which falls under the NDC Technology and Economic Cooperation Programme.

“The Government has transitioned from planning to implementation in electric mobility,” he told the Parliament.

According to Samuda, the vehicles have been sized for the routes they will run, carrying anywhere from 25 to more than 50 passengers per trip and covering up to 240 kilometres a day. Each bus is rated for roughly 250 kilometres on a single charge, and will be paired with dedicated DC fast-charging equipment.

The pilot also bundles in driver instruction, local technical training and uniform maintenance procedures, which the minister said are intended to keep the fleet running efficiently and to make the model easy to expand.

— Lynford Simpson