New transport boss has big plans for the authority

New acting managing director at the Transport Authority (TA), Willard Hylton, is on a mission to improve the authority and the services it provides.

Hylton, who has just completed his first month in his new position at the TA, said he has taken the approach of obtaining feedback from stakeholders,especially the staff, at this time.

“The information that we gather is going to be helpful in determining the way we lead the TA,” he says. Hylton points out that the authority has 16 sites across the island and that he and his management team have been to all locations on a fact-finding mission and to listen to the concerns of the staff.

Management Support

“The management team is quite clear about some of the things that we need to do to make the staff happy and more productive at work,” he explains.

“We have to look after ourselves to be able to deliver what the public is expecting,” he adds. The acting managing director admits that some of the facilities are in need of improvements to make them more comfortable for staff, and has committed to ensuring that this is done.

According to Hylton, there are also outstanding internal staff concerns that will be attended to as well. He says that it is important that the concerns of the staff are addressed, “so we have a clear understanding about the things that we need to do to make the staff happy at work, and we believe that if the staff is happy, it transcends itself right through, not just where we are but to the entire country”.

Hylton says he has also been taking the time to meet with other stakeholders, such as the route taxi associations, to determine how to support their activities.

He tells JIS News it is important for them to understand that their operation is not just about money and fare increases but rather what can be done to make the business that they are operating more viable.

Hylton adds that he will also be focusing on communicating with the public, so that they can understand their role in changing how public transportation systems operate in Jamaica.