Editing Transport in Jamaica

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'''Transport in [[Jamaica]]''' consists of [[roadway]]s, [[railway]]s, [[ship transport|ship]] and [[Aviation|air transport]],  with roadways forming the backbone of the island's internal [[Transportation|transport]]  system.

==Roadways==
{{main|Roads in Jamaica}}
The Jamaican road network consists of almost 21,000 kilometres of roads, of which over 15,000 kilometres are [[Pavement (material)|paved]].<ref name=WorldFactbook>[https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/jamaica/ The CIA World Factbook - Jamaica] Retrieved June 27, 2007</ref> The [[Government of Jamaica|Jamaican Government]] has, since the late 1990s and in cooperation with private investors, embarked on a campaign of infrastructural improvement projects, one of which includes the creation of a system of [[freeway]]s, the first such access-controlled roadways of their kind on the island, connecting the main population centres of the island.  This project has so far seen the completion of 33 kilometres of [[freeway]].

The [[Highway 2000, Jamaica|Highway 2000]] project, which seeks ultimately to link Kingston with Montego Bay and the north coast, is currently undergoing a series of phases/legs. Phase 1 is the highway network between [[Kingston, Jamaica|Kingston]] and [[Mandeville, Jamaica|Mandeville]], which itself has been divided into sub-phases: Phase 1a (Kingston-Bushy Park (in actuality, Kingston-Sandy Bay) highway and the upgrade of the [[Portmore, Jamaica|Portmore]] Causeway), which was completed June 2006, and Phase 1b (Sandy Bay-Williamsfield). Phase 2a is the highway between Old Harbour and [[Ocho Rios]], and Phase 2b is the highway between [[Mandeville, Jamaica|Mandeville]] and [[Montego Bay]].<ref name=Highway2000>[http://www.h2kjamaica.com/2005/projectschedule/index.htm Highway 2000: Project Schedule] Retrieved March 25, 2007</ref>

<br>''total:'' {{convert|18700|km|0|abbr=on}}.
<br>''paved:'' {{convert|13100|km|0|abbr=on}}.
<br>''unpaved:'' {{convert|5600|km|0|abbr=on}} (1997 est.).

==Buses==
{{Main|Jamaica Urban Transit Company}}
The [[Jamaica Omnibus Service]] (JOS) was a municipal bus system that served the Kingston metropolitan area that ran from 1953 to 1983. After being run by [[British Electric Traction]], the JOS was nationalised by the Jamaican government in 1974. It was replaced by a hodgepodge of privately operated buses, and a national bus system called the [[Jamaica Urban Transit Company]] (JUTC) was established in 1998 after complaints. The JUTC presently oversees more than 70 routes in areas including Kingston and Spanish Town.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/getting-around-jamaica|title=The best ways to travel around in Jamaica|website=Lonely Planet|first=Dierdre|last=McLeod|date=3 March 2023|accessdate=30 March 2023}}</ref>

[[Coach (bus)|Coaches]] are a notable means of travel in Jamaica; a popular privately operated coach service is the Knutsford Express. The JUTC also provides [[Charter Bus|charter buses]]. As for [[Minibus|minibuses]] and [[Share taxi|route taxis]], PPV number plates indicate licensed public transport, whereas JUTA plates indicate tourist routes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tripsavvy.com/jamaica-on-public-transport-4105904|title=Getting Around Jamaica on Public Transport|website=Trip Savvy|first=Michael|last=Hodson|date=26 June 2019|accessdate=30 March 2023}}</ref>

Having been proposed in 2019, the JUTC began testing floating solar electric buses in 2022, hoping to gradually introduce electric buses into the fleet and eventually phase out diesel buses.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://our.today/first-electric-bus-has-arrived-in-jamaica/|title=First electric bus has arrived in Jamaica|website=Our Today|first=Vanassa|last=McKenzie|date=1 December 2022|accessdate=30 March 2023}}</ref>

<gallery>
Jamaica Urban Transit Company Golden Dragon XML 6897J13 - Flickr - JLaw45.jpg|JUTC bus, 2016
Knutsford Express Kinglong (50818902882).jpg|Knutford Express, 2018
Jamaica-Toyota Coaster (6373832871).jpg|Minibus in [[Ocho Rios]], 2009
</gallery>

== Railways ==
{{main|Railways of Jamaica}}
{{main|Railway stations in Jamaica}}
[[File:Jamaican railroad with railcar and station 1960.jpg|thumb|A motorized railcar leaving [[Buff Bay]] station, in 1960]]
[[Railways of Jamaica|Railways in Jamaica]], as in many other countries, no longer enjoy the prominent position they once did, having  been largely replaced by roadways as the primary means of transport.  Of the 272 kilometres of railway found in Jamaica, only 57 kilometres remain in operation, currently used to transport [[bauxite]].<ref name=WorldFactbook/>

In 2008, with increasing traffic congestion, moves are being made to reconstruct old railway lines.

<br>''total:'' 370&nbsp;km
<br>''standard gauge:'' 370&nbsp;km {{railgauge|1435 mm}} gauge.  Of these, 207&nbsp;km belong to the [[Jamaica Railway Corporation]] in common carrier service but are no longer operational. The other 163&nbsp;km is privately owned and used to transport bauxite.

==Air Transport==
There are two international airports in Jamaica with modern [[airport terminal|terminals]], long [[runway]]s, and the navigational equipment required to accommodate the large [[jet aircraft]] used in modern [[air travel]]: [[Norman Manley International Airport]] in the capital, [[Kingston, Jamaica|Kingston]] and [[Sangster International Airport]] in the [[resort city]] of [[Montego Bay]]. Both airports were once home to the country's (now defunct) national airline, [[Air Jamaica]]. In addition there are local commuter airports at [[Tinson Pen Aerodrome|Tinson Pen (Kingston)]], [[Port Antonio]], [[Ocho Rios]], [[Mandeville, Jamaica|Mandeville]], and [[Negril]] that cater to internal flights only. The [[Ian Fleming International Airport]] opened in February 2011 to serve the Ocho Rios - Port Antonio area.  Many other small, rural centres are served by private fields on sugar estates or bauxite mines.

==Ports and Shipping==
Owing to its location in the [[Caribbean Sea]] in the [[sea lane|shipping lane]] to the [[Panama Canal]] and relative proximity to large markets in [[North America]] and [[emerging market]]s in [[Latin America]], Jamaica receives high [[containerization|container]] traffic.  The [[container terminal]] at the Port of Kingston has undergone large expansion in capacity in recent years to handle growth both already realised as well as what is projected in coming years.<ref name=nameJamaicaObserver>[http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20051117T220000-0500_92733_OBS_PORT_AUTHORITY__MAERSK_IN_MAJOR_DEAL.asp  The Jamaica Observer] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926232147/http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20051117T220000-0500_92733_OBS_PORT_AUTHORITY__MAERSK_IN_MAJOR_DEAL.asp |date=2007-09-26 }} Retrieved June 27, 2007</ref>
                                                                       
There are several other ports positioned around the island, including the alumina ports, Port Esquivel in [[Saint Catherine Parish, Jamaica|St. Catherine]] ([[WINDALCO]]), Rocky Point in [[Clarendon Parish, Jamaica|Clarendon]] and Port Kaiser in [[Saint Elizabeth Parish, Jamaica|St. Elizabeth]].  Port Rhoades in Discovery Bay is responsible for transporting bauxite dried at the adjacent Kaiser plant.  Reynolds Pier in [[Ocho Rios]] is responsible for exporting sugar.  Montego Freeport in [[Montego Bay]] also handles a variety of cargo like (though more limited than) the Port of Kingston, mainly agricultural products. Boundbrook Port in [[Port Antonio]] exports bananas. There are also three cruise ship piers along the island, in [[Ocho Rios]], [[Montego Bay]] and [[Port Antonio]].

The Kingston port is situated in the Kingston Harbour, which is the 7th largest natural (i.e. not man made) harbour in the world.

==Merchant marine==
*''Total:'' 1 ship of over 1,000 GT: {{GT|1,930}}/{{DWT|3,065|metric|disp=long}}.
*''Ships by type:'' [[oil tanker|petroleum tanker]] 1 (1999 est.).

==Lighthouses==
{{Main|Lighthouses in Jamaica}}
As the island is a large exporter of [[bauxite]], there is considerable [[Cargo ship|freighter]] traffic. To aid navigation, [[Lighthouses in Jamaica|Jamaica operates nine lighthouses]]
*''Onshore:'' 7.
*''Offshore:'' 2.

==Pipelines==
Petroleum products: {{convert|10|km|0|abbr=on}}.

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130315174612/http://www.mtw.gov.jm/general_information/reports/TransportStatisticsReport2003_2004.pdf Annual Transport Statistics Report: Jamaica in Figures 2003-2004], Ministry of Transport and Works, July 2005.

{{Jamaica topics}}
{{Americas topic|Transport in}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Transport In Jamaica}}
[[Category:Transport in Jamaica| ]]