How do we fix the problems at the JUTC ?

Firstly we cannot fix a problem if we do not understand the nature of the problem.

Secondly, we cannot fix the problem, if we employ persons who do not have the requisite management and technical skills in mass transit management.

Thirdly we can never solve the problem by bring in more and more comrades to replace those who have left, because the thinking is the same, which means the problems will only continue or get worse.

Its time like this I wish I were a comrade, who with a radically different approach, would move to really solve the JUTC problem. 🙂

I would do the following :

1. Employ a group of high school students  and University to go to the Gemba.
2. Have the Phillip Paulwell provide them with tablets to be used for data collection.
3. These folks will be stationed at the various depot’s in Kingston and Spanishtown used by the JUTC. They would also be placed at major transport center ie HWT, Downtown, Constant Spring etc as well as selected bus stops along every route serviced by the JUTC.
4. Some would be placed on buses along every route travel by JUTC solely for data collection.

 

Data to be collected

1. Average number of  paying passenger per bus on all routes.
2. Category of paying passing ie students, elderly or regular.
3. Average number of persons embarking and disembarking along the various routes.
4. Average number of passengers during peak periods
5. Category of paying passengers during peak periods
6. Average number of passenger during off peak hrs.
7. Category of paying passengers during off peak hrs
8. Average wait time per bus stop.
9. Average wait period at major bus centers (idle time)
10. Run time of engine during ideal periods at bus stop.
11. Average number of buses on various routes during peak periods
12. Average number of buses on various routes during off peak periods.
13. Average number of passenger who complete the entire journey ie from terminus to terminus.
14. Average length of ride per passenger ie what distance does the average passenger travels.

Given what I have already seen JUTC can look at the following

1. Get fleet of smaller buses like the Toyota Coasters or even  Toyota Hiace
2. Run large buses during peak periods and where passenger loads are such that the bus will run at no less than 85% capacity.
3. Run smaller buses on low volume routes and during peak periods on routes where it’s not economically viable to run the larger buses.
4. Stop  running on some routes where the load factors are so low that you can never break even or make a profit.
5. Divest these routes to smaller operates who in turn pay JUTC a fee to run on these routes.

 

I gave this JUTC bus situation 15 minutes of thought before writing this post and I am sure if I spent a couple hrs thinking about it some more I surely could come up with some better ideas on how to deal with the bus company financial problems.

 

Next I will look at the maintenance operations and how to deal with that, but I got to run now… Will try to complete that before the end of this week.

Food for thought. Darn I probably should not use the word food. 

Lol

 

PS : Use the JEEP money to pay them.