Public transportation in Jamaica
Transportation is one of the most important parts of my travels. I always do my research and have it calculated to a capital T. Believe me, it’s not fun when you are stranded and have no clue where you are going. My favourite method of commute is public transportation, mainly because it’s cheap and I’m the queen of cheap travels. The other reason is that I come in contact with so many people from different backgrounds and ethnicities. Public transportation in Jamaica is definitely something to experience.
Everyone has a story to tell, and when traveling on a public transportation in Jamaica, you normally hear quite a few of them. While traveling on public transportation has many upsides, there are some disadvantages. Knowing how to handle them as the problems arise will determine the mood of your experience. In this article, I will be sharing with you three disadvantages of traveling on public transportation in Jamaica.
Disadvantages of Public Transportation
Before I go into any details with these disadvantages, please note that public transportation, in this case, is relating to the cars and buses the locals take one a daily basis. This doesn’t apply to chartered vehicles. Ok, now we have gotten that out of the way, let’s continue.
The local buses and cars we have in Jamaica, travel very near to very far distances. The duration can be as short as 5 mins or as long as 4 hours, costing from $100JMD to $1000JMD. Like every transportation, the farther away from the destination, the more tiring and expensive it gets.
Transportation that travels far distances is sometimes limited in peak hours. Peak hours(7am-10am and 4pm-7pm) for us here in Jamaica are the busiest. It’s normally twice a day, Mondays to Fridays. During these hours, people are either heading to work or leaving work. They are always fighting to get a spot, due to the limited transportation. This can cause numerous things to go wrong and as a result, cause bad experiences.
1. You can’t Choose your seat(Especially if you are late)
The transportation set up as a first come first serve type of format.
The vehicles are packed to the max(and more). Jamaicans are about maximizing opportunities and this is displayed in everything they do. Therefore, when it comes to loading a vehicle, it’s all about putting as many people as possible in one trip.
2. You might get Robbed
Between trying to get into a vehicle and securing your things so that you get in the car or bus in one piece, some people end up missing personal items. This happens every time during peak hours. People lose their phones, money, gadgets etc. The problem is that you won’t be able to identify who stole it. Whether it’s other people who are trying to get in or people who just join the crowd to see what they can steal I can’t say. I was also unfortunate to have experienced the same but fortunate enough to not lose anything of great value.
On my way to Port Antonio one Easter, I decided to take the straight bus from Half Way Tree. I soon found out that that route was in high demand for public transportation. I saw more people than what the vehicles could carry. After waiting one hour for the next bus to arrive, people did not have time for the bus to come to a complete stop.
We were attacking each other, in order to get in. In the process of me trying to get in, someone pointed out that my backpack was wide open. I furiously swung my bag around to close it, knowing that I had my GoPro, Laptop, and headphones in my bag. Luckily, the thief did not have enough time or didn’t see my GoPro and laptop to steal them but my headphones were gone. After all the hassle of trying to get into a vehicle, I still ended up not getting into one. This transitions into the next disadvantage.
Pro Tip: I would suggest putting all your valuables deep in your bag when traveling on public transportation in Jamaica or anywhere for that matter. That way losing your valuables won’t ruin your trip. Also, travel in the day, after peak hours in the mornings and before peak hours in the evenings to avoid all the rush and drama.
3. You might experience Racism
If you come to Jamaica, stay in a fancy hotel and only take guided tours, there is a very strong possibility you will never experience this. The tourism industry has done a great job in ensuring that visitors have a wonderful experience when they get to Jamaica by protecting them from these harsh encounters. While they protect with good reason, you might not experience Jamaica’s full culture.
As you move away from the flashing lights and businesses designed to attract tourists, you get closer and deeper into the culture. There you will experience unfiltered Jamaica. Jamaicans love visitors and in most cases, you will experience a lot of hospitality but there are a few bad apples in our bunch.
This one came as a surprise to me as I couldn’t believe some people in Jamaica felt so strongly about other ethnicities. I have seen it on television but have never experienced such hate in person. It is rare in Jamaica as if they feel a particular way about you, they won’t verbally express it. Nevertheless, keep an open mind when traveling solo and expect that you might encounter a minor case of racism.
It’s a Must-try
Regardless many of the disadvantages you might find, the advantages way outnumber them, if you are looking to dive deep into the culture and travel as a local. From fully packed buses to vendors pushing their products through bus windows to sell you what they have, traveling on the local bus in Jamaica is a must-try. I hope that when you decide to visit Jamaica, you try taking public transportation at least once as it is quite an adventure.
