News Blogger: Highway

Showing posts with label Highway. Show all posts

Sunday, January 18, 2015

10 dead as Texas prison bus plunges off highway, is hit by train

Wednesday, January 14, 2015 | 2:04 PM

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) – A bus carrying 15 prison inmates and staff plunged off a Texas highway overpass and onto railway tracks below, where it was hit by a train Wednesday, killing 10 people.

“Two correctional officers and eight offenders have died from injuries sustained in the accident,” a spokesman from the Texas Department of Corrections said in a statement, adding that five people were hurt.

“One staff member and four offenders have been transported to the Medical Center in Odessa and are receiving medical treatment,” the statement said.

Jason Clark, director of public information for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, told AFP that the accident occurred on a busy stretch of highway shortly after dawn, as the bus carried inmates from one prison facility in Abilene in western Texas to another in the city of El Paso.

“The bus left the roadway and made contact with the train,” Clark said.

Officials said they did not know what caused the bus to leave the roadway, but said that visibility at the time was poor and the roadway was slick, with temperatures hovering around freezing.

“The conditions were less than favorable this morning,” Sergeant Gary Duesler of the Ector County Sheriff’s Department told AFP.

“For whatever reason, whether it was for icy conditions or whatever, it went down the embankment and into the path of an oncoming train,” Duesler said.

Officials said the accident scene was horrific.

“It’s as bad as you can imagine. In 32 years it’s as bad as anything I’ve seen,” Kavin Tinney, chief of a firefighter battalion, told the Odessa American newspaper.

Texas prison officials, who said an investigation was underway, lamented the loss of life.

“It’s with a heavy heart that we mourn the loss of those killed and injured this morning in a tragic accident.

“Their loved ones will be in our thoughts and prayers,” Brad Livingston, Executive Director of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, said in a statement.

Duesler said sheriff’s deputies worked to secure the scene as the investigation continued.

“We’ve got the road closed off because it’s a major accident scene,” he told AFP.

“There are some inmates that were transported to the hospital, and of course, they’re still inmates, so we’re providing security for them,” he said.

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10 dead as Texas prison bus plunges off highway, is hit by train

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Knutsford Express posts $17-m profit, happy with new leg of Highway 2000

BY STEVEN JACKSON Business reporter jacksons@jamaicaobserver.com

Friday, October 10, 2014

LUXURY bus company Knutsford Express has voiced approval of the Mount Rosser bypass of Highway 2000 amid posting $17.1 million in profit, or 20 per cent higher than year-earlier levels.

The company also expanded the number of departures on offer while increasing travel options to passengers along the South Coast by 50 per cent.

“The much-anticipated middle phase of the North-South Highway which bypasses the hilly and windy Mount Rosser roadway opened. This has allowed for a reduction in the travel time on the North Coast route and resulted in a more comfortable ride for our passengers,” the company said in a joint note prefacing the financial results

signed by directors Oliver Townsend and Anthony Copeland.

“With this reduction in time and with our fleet being improved by the addition of new luxury coaches on that route, our customers will have an even better travelling experience,” the directors said.

The Caribbean Business Report was unable to contact the company for further clarification on the benefit of the bypass.

Total revenues hit $103 million, or 30 per cent higher than a year earlier based on increased passengers resulting from the company’s expansion of the South Coast route. Cash and equivalents stood at $48.5 million at August compared with $12.8 million a year earlier.

Knutsford Express operates bus routes that connect Jamaica‘s south-eastern city of Kingston to northern and western parishes. It offers scheduled coach transportation, courier service, private hire, and special-event shuttles.

The company raised just under $100 million through an initial public offer (IPO) of 20 million shares or 20 per cent of the firm last December. The listing on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market allowed the company to qualify for a five-year break on income tax.

The company now has 105 departures weekly and has expanded its reach to Falmouth, Negril, Savanna-la-Mar, and Mandeville, having acquired competitor South Coast Express last year.

It started operations in 2006 with 28 departures weekly between Montego Bay and Kingston.

Earlier this month, the State body, the National Road Operating and Construction Company (NROCC), admitted that use of the recently opened Mount Rosser bypass dipped by more than a third since it started collecting a toll last month.

During the period prior to the toll collection, the road attracted approximately 5,000 to 6,000 vehicles per day, as motorists took advantage of the moratorium implemented to encourage use of the new road. But the numbers fell to 3,000 to 4,000 vehicles per day with the introduction of toll charges.

Toll rates implemented were $200 for Class 1 vehicles (cars), $420 for Class 2 vehicles (SUVs) and $1,000 for trucks.

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Knutsford Express posts $17-m profit, happy with new leg of Highway 2000

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Trinidad highway project continues despite hunger strike threats from Kublalsingh

Environmentalist Dr Wayne Kublalsingh (Credit: news.gov.tt)

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, Monday September 15, 2014, CMC - The Chief State Solicitor has written to environmentalist Dr Wayne Kublalsingh, saying the state cannot accede to his request of halting the construction of the Debe to Mon Desir section of the Golconda to Point Fortin Highway.

In a letter dated September 3, Kublalsingh, called on the Prime Minister, to abide by the recommendations of the Armstrong report, and to stop the construction of the highway.

Kublalsingh has threatened to go on a hunger strike within 14 days if the Prime Minister did not accede to his requests.

The Prime Minister passed the letter to Attorney General Anand Ramlogan who said “….such action would lead to consequences and risks, which are unknown. However, you do so at your own peril. While you have the right to protest in a lawful manner, the State has the duty and responsibility to protect life and will not be deterred in adhering to that responsibility as it had done in the past.”

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“While you have the right to protest in a lawful manner, the State has the duty and responsibility to protect life and will not be deterred in adhering to that responsibility as it had done in the past,” the letter sstated.

Meanwhile, the Chief State Solicitor has pointed out that the issues raised by Kublalsingh and his Highway Re-Route Movement (HRM), formed part of the constitutional motion filed against the State.

“You and the members of your movement have invoked the original jurisdiction of the High Court under section 14 of the Constitution seeking constitutional protection of the court, alleging breaches of your constitutional rights.

“The Attorney General is representing the interest of the State in this matter. Both parties are being represented by eminent Senior members of the Inner Bar. Substantial resources have been devoted by both parties.

The Chief State Solicitor reminded Kublalsingh that the High Court had ruled that the Highway Re-Route Movement was not entitled to injunctive relief in this matter and as a result he intends to seek further relief from the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.

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Trinidad highway project continues despite hunger strike threats from Kublalsingh

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Seize business opportunities from North-South Highway - Davies

Transport Minister Dr. Omar Davies is urging Jamaican investors to exploit the potential for additional business opportunities that are emerging with increasing ease of traversing the island.

Dr. Davies, speaking recently at the unveiling of a new Fly Jamaica aircraft in Kingston, pointed to the soon to be opened Moneague leg of Highway 2000 and said it presents opportunities for marketing Kingston to tourists who visit Ocho Rios

“Kingston will now be just over an hour away from Ocho Rios, in terms of the possibility of a cruise ship passenger in Ocho Rios having a day in Kingston as part of the package which is presented.”

The Moneague leg of Highway 2000 will open in August and the entire North-South link of the highway is projected to be completed in 2016.

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Seize business opportunities from North-South Highway - Davies

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Expect traffic delays on Mandela Highway today

News

Thursday, August 29, 2013

THE flow of traffic on Mandela Highway in St Catherine is expected to be disrupted today as the National Works Agency (NWA) undertakes emergency work on sections of the busy thoroughfare.In a release yesterday, the NWA said that a section of both the eastern and western carriageways between White Marl and Caymanas Crossing, will be reduced to single-lane traffic.Stephen Shaw, manager of communication and customer services at the NWA, says the works — which will last for approximately five hours between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm — will entail removing badly deteriorated sections of the road and patching with asphaltic concrete.“The NWA is advising motorists to proceed with caution while travelling along the Mandela Highway… and to observe all posted warning signs and flag persons deployed to the area,” the works agency cautioned.

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Expect traffic delays on Mandela Highway today

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Woman killed in Mandela Highway crash

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

JUTC struggles to pay Highway 2000 fees

THE Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) will now be paying $11.5 million per month, or approximately $138 million a year, in toll charges to use the Portmore leg of Highway 2000.

The state-run bus company has been forced to implement measures to reduce the number of units travelling the thoroughfare to cushion the blow from last Saturday’s hike in the toll rates.Chairman of the bus company, Rev Garnet Roper said the toll bill would have even been higher had all of the average 80 buses that operate daily from the Portmore municipality to Half-Way-Tree and downtown Kingston use the toll road.The cash-strapped bus company, he said, was already struggling to pay the $10 million a month in toll charges prior to the increase from $390 to $450 per trip as of July 6. Given the added cost, Roper said the company will now take steps to roll out its long proposed ‘park and ride’ system to cut back on the number of its buses using the toll road. Additionally, the JUTC board chairman said more of its buses will be using the alternative route, along Mandela Highway, during off-peak hours.“We are heading towards a ‘park and ride’ system so we can have fewer buses going through the toll because of the high cost,” Roper told the Jamaica Observer yesterday.He explained that under this system, smaller buses would take passengers from the various communities in Portmore to the town centre, and terminate just behind The Captain’s Bakery. From there, passengers would disembark and board one of the larger units such as the articulated buses to transport them to their destination in either Half-Way-Tree or downtown Kingston.This new measure, according to Roper, was proposed even before the increased toll rates were announced as the company sought ways to cut back on its operational costs.However, he said that its roll-out was delayed as there were some steps to be taken before the system could be implemented. These, he said, included a substantial marketing campaign to inform residents of the change. Additionally, Roper said a small bridge will have to be constructed to provide access to the area in the town centre.“It is a little bit tricky, because people don’t like the idea of changing buses, but we will be having a substantial marketing thrust to get the buy-in from residents,” Roper said.He was, however, unable to say how soon the new ‘park and ride’ system would be rolled out, but disclosed that it should have been implemented in January but the timeline was not met.Meanwhile, the bus company is banking on an increase in fares to help the bus company offset its growing expenses. According to Roper, the percentage hike in fares has already been settled, however, he could not say when it would be announced.“We thought the increase in bus fare would have been July 1 but that is not the case anymore so I can’t say when,” Roper said.In May, Transport Minister Omar Davies hinted that commuters would soon be hit with fare increases.Talk of a fare increase for JUTC’s passengers started last December when the entity, which lost $1.8 billion last year, began the process of applying for a fare hike.The JUTC had projected that for 2012/2013 its loss, before subsidy, would increase to over $2.4 billion, as revenue flow was inadequate to bridge the gap in the fare box.The company has attributed its ballooning losses to the decline in annual Government subvention; loss of revenue to illegal transportation operating on the exclusive routes; and the $70 difference between actual fares and the Governmentsubsidised fares paid by students and the elderly.Given the gap between revenue and expenditure, Government has provided financial support in the form of cash subsidies, tax waivers, debt assumption/write-offs and the injection of fixed capital in the form of buses and spare parts. Direct financial support from the Government in 2012/13 was projected at $3 billion, including $554 million in subsidies and $320 million in waivers on general and special consumption tax payments.Meanwhile, Roper said the JUTC has already switched to the new and more expensive ultra-low sulphur diesel, but was in negotiations with Government to source the fuel at a cheaper rate. The fuel, he said, is better for the engine of the JUTC buses.

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