Minister of Transport, Daryl Vaz, says he’s seeking to have the maintenance contract for the rural school bus programme extended.

This, as several of the buses have been out of service as they await replacement parts.

The rural school bus programme serves more than 13,000 students across more than 300 schools. This is done using a fleet of 110 buses.

The maintenance contract with the company that supplied the buses, El Hydro Limited, expired in March this year.

Minister Vaz says he expects the inactive buses to be returned to service early next year.

Meanwhile, Minister Vaz says the contract negotiations will not interfere with the government’s procurement of more buses for the Jamaica Urban Transit Company.

Daryl Vaz, Transport Minister. He was speaking on Nationwide at Five on Thursday.