Despite a low turn out of students, the government’s school train service got underway this morning (January 10).

The cashless train service which is expected to benefit some of the most vulnerable children, saw only five students riding the train to school.

Speaking today at the Spanish Town Train Station, in St. Catherine where the first two trains arrived, Transport Minister Robert Montaque said by mid-week, it is expected that all students from the participating schools will be back for classes and the service will be fully operational.

Mr. Montaque said he is hopeful the train service will be expanded for Jamaica’s 60th anniversary.

The School Train Service, “Back on Track”, is a partnership with the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Education, the Jamaica Railway Corporation, the Jamaica Urban Transit Company, JUTC, and the Jamaica Constabulary Force.

It seeks to move children from Old Harbour and Linstead into Spanish Town by train, then have JUTC buses pick up and drop them off at the various schools in Spanish Town, with the reverse occurring in the afternoon.

Image: JIS