As the new year progresses, the unavailability of buses and the long wait time for commuters continue to plague the transportation sector.

Transport Minister Daryl Vaz made the observation, as he toured the Half-Way-Tree Transport Centre on Monday.

The tour followed the implementation of reduced fares for the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) and the start of the new school term.

The fare cut which took effect on January 1, was met with concern by some citizens over whether or not Jamaicans would truly benefit from the reduction.

Up to 80,000 Jamaicans are expected to benefit, especially with the intended roll-out of more JUTC buses, including in St Thomas.

However, after Monday’s observation of operations at the Half-Way-Tree bus centre, Mr Vaz admitted that several challenges need to be urgently addressed by his Ministry.