Chapter 1 - Introduction-1

Impact of railway transportation on public transportation in the KMTR 1
To develop a technical framework to understand the impact of railway transportation on
public transportation in the KMTR.
Final Project
Landel Smith - 1607757
Chevaughn Wallace – 1607756
Keith White -1604547
Krishane Smith -1405460
Friday 2 pm
University of Technology, Jamaica

Background
Public transportation is a critical part of any society as it is the means by which large portions of
people move about to work, school, religious & social events. Goods are also distributed using
public transportation. Currently, public transportation within KMTR is by means of road. Rail
transportation is the most “effective way to handle increased transportation demands with
relatively low power requirements, a low land requirement, little air pollution, and few accidents
involving fatalities and injuries” (Standard Handbook for Civil Engineers). In the past rail
transportation was an integral part of the Jamaican public transportation system until 1992 when
the system was halted. The only rail services are those conducted by local bauxite companies to
transport bauxite to the ports for export.
In recent years there has been an increase in traffic congestion which has various impacts in the
KMTR. To cope, the relevant stake holders have carried out various works to improve and create
new road infrastructure. Despite these implementations there remains the issue of congestion but
less land spaces to improve road networks.
As a University student studying Construction Engineering, it is hoped that this research will aid
Engineers, Planners and Government officials to carefully look at the possible implications of a
restart of rail transportation in the KMTR.
Problem statement
The KMTR continues to be plagued by serious traffic congestions despite numerous road
improvements and developments, the area is now running out of roads to improve and areas that
can be used to facilitate new infrastructure while existing rail lines remain idle.
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to develop a technical framework to understand the possible impact
of rail transportation on public transportation in the KMTR.
Research Objectives
To ascertain state of public transportation in the KMTR
To discuss the importance of public transportation in the KMTR
To examine rail transportation in similar urban areas like the KMTR
Research Questions
1. How reliable is public transportation in the KMTR?
2. How much of the Kingston population use public transportation?
3. How was rail transportation implemented in similar urban areas like the KMTR?
4. How has railway transportation effected the social-and-economic development of similar
urban areas like the KMTR?
Significance
This research will be done with the aim of understanding the impact of railway transportation on
public transportation in the KMTR. The study will tell if there is a need for other modes of
transportation as it relates to public transportation in the KMTR.
Limitations
Factors that will prove to limit the execution of this research include time, the scope of this
research serves as a limitation. As in order to gather the necessary information for this research,
data gathering activities will need to be over the span of years, to gather information from the
public and transport authority, and to do population survey. However, the time frame of this
exercise, is much less than what will be necessary to carry out this research.
Cost will serve as a limitation, as the members of the research team carrying out this study lack
the budget to do the research.
The pandemic will also serve as a limitation to the execution of this research. As the country now
turns to the mode of working from home and online schooling, the number of public
transportation users lessen. Also, there is some amount of risk when going out to do the research
at this moment in time, with corona virus still around. Therefore, it will be a huge challenge to
produce the most accurate results in the study.
Delimitation
 KMTR-
 Public transportation
 Railway system
In this study to completely categorize the area of study, only the Kingston and St. Andrew region
will be examined.
The research will only be looking at The Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC), as it relates
to the type of public transportation currently in the area. This is to ensure that the scale of the
study is not too extensive, and data can be easily retrieved from the JUTC which will aid in
getting credible findings.
Key Definitions
Public transportation – Public transportation systems include a variety of transit options such as
buses, light rail and subways. These systems are available to the general public which may
require a fare and run at scheduled times. The reason of expanding public transportation is to
increase access to and use of public transit while reducing motor vehicle miles driven and traffic
congestion.
Rail transportation – is the most effective way to handle increased transportation demands with
relatively low power requirement, a low land requirement, little air pollution and few accidents
involving fatalities and injuries.
Infrastructure - This refers to infrastructure facilities, systems and structures that are developed
which are owned and operated by the government however it includes all the infrastructure
facilities that are open to the general public. Infrastructure includes all essential systems and
facilities that allow the smooth flow of an economy’s day to day activities.
APA/Reference
T. Selby, C.Romanel. (2019). WIT Transactions on The Built Environment 186, 133-143.
Congestion, Urban Transport, the Formal Sector and Informal Actors: Kingston, Jamaica, and
Rio DE Janeiro, Brazil.

D.Nguyen-Phuoc, G.Currie, C.De-Gruyter, W.Young. (2018). Case Studies on Transport Policy
6 (4), 518-528. Congestion relief and public transport: An enhanced method using disaggregate
mode shift evidence.
J.Stanley, J.Stanley, R.Hansen. (2017). Edward Elgar Publishing. How great cities happen:
Integrating people, land use and transport
J.Mullings, L.Dunn, M.Sue Ho, R.Wilks, C.Archer. (2018). An Overview of Urban and Regional
Planning. Urban renewal and sustainable development in Jamaica: Progress, challenges and new
directions
Nir Kshetri. (2020). The Statesman’s Yearbook 2020: The Politics, Cultures and Economies of
the World, 679-682.Jamaica.
Henry, B. (2020). Profitable rail service . Kingston : The Observer .
Linton, L. (2019). Plans to review railway passanger. Kingston : Jamaica Information Service .
Macforlane, R. (2018). Measuring the Impact of express bus serive in Kinston . 37-45.
Sipe, N. (2020). How does an open system bus rapid transit facilitate inter and intre-model
mobility. Transpotation Economics, 83.
Williams, R. (2017). Rehabilitation of national railway network . Kingston: Jamaica information

service .
Wilson, N. (2019). Review rail to get Jmaica back on track. Kingston: The Gleaner.

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Impact of railway transportation on public transportation in the KMTR 1

To develop a technical framework to understand the impact of railway transportation on

public transportation in the KMTR.

Landel Smith - 1607757

Chevaughn Wallace – 1607756

Keith White -1604547

Krishane Smith -1405460

University of Technology, Jamaica

transport bauxite to the ports for export.

less land spaces to improve road networks.

restart of rail transportation in the KMTR.

of rail transportation on public transportation in the KMTR.

To ascertain state of public transportation in the KMTR

To discuss the importance of public transportation in the KMTR

To examine rail transportation in similar urban areas like the KMTR

1. How reliable is public transportation in the KMTR?

2. How much of the Kingston population use public transportation?

4. How has railway transportation effected the social-and-economic development of similar

urban areas like the KMTR?

transportation as it relates to public transportation in the KMTR.

the budget to do the research.

produce the most accurate results in the study.

getting credible findings.

involving fatalities and injuries.

Rio DE Janeiro, Brazil.

D.Nguyen-Phuoc, G.Currie, C.De-Gruyter, W.Young. (2018). Case Studies on Transport Policy

mode shift evidence.

Integrating people, land use and transport

the World, 679-682.Jamaica.

Henry, B. (2020). Profitable rail service . Kingston : The Observer .

Williams, R. (2017). Rehabilitation of national railway network . Kingston: Jamaica information

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