Knutsford Express pushes into St Thomas at 20-year milestone

The Word’s 1988 recording, Two White Girls Pon a Minibus, may have played an inspirational role in the establishment of Knutsford Express in June 2006 but, at the 20th anniversary celebration at Drax Hall in St Ann recently, it was the staff who received kudos for the success of the company.

At the same time, the company has announced plans to expand its operations to include St Thomas, bringing it closer to achieving the goal of operating in all 14 parishes.

The company said it will begin operating in St Thomas at the Morant Bay Urban Centre within the next two to three months, a move that will increase its passenger locations to 16 and its courier locations to 21.

Guest speaker at the function, Mayor of St Ann’s Bay, Michael Belnavis, hailed Knutsford Express on its 20th anniversary, noting that 20 years is no small achievement in business circles.

“It is built through vision, sacrifice, innovation, resilience and, above all, the trust of customers. Today, we gather not merely to celebrate the passage of time but celebrate two decades of impact, transformation and service to the people of Jamaica and certainly the people of St Ann,” Belnavis said.

“The company slogan, ‘Moving What Matters’, is more than a phrase, it reflects a commitment to connecting people, business, opportunities and communities. As mayor of St Ann, I’m especially pleased that this celebration is taking place right here in Drax Hall at your iconic location, a location that you built, a location that you are landlord for, a location that you’ve nurtured into one of your hubs, so important in your logistical network and, with that, the Municipal Corporation is appreciative,” he added.

EXPANSION

Knutsford Express was launched in 2006 and began operating with two staff members and one bus that plied the Pier 1 Montego Bay to New Kingston route. The vision was to help transform travel in Jamaica by offering a safe, reliable, comfortable and convenient service.

Since then, the company has made significant strides, acquiring its first mini-coach the following year, then expanding its routes in 2013 to include Savanna-la-Mar, Santa Cruz, Negril and Falmouth.

Over the ensuing years, the company added more routes, including Gutters, Port Antonio, Norman Manley International Airport, Angels, Spanish Town, Ocho Rios, May Pen, Lucea and Port Maria.

In 2020, Knutsford Express relocated from Island Village in Ocho Rios to its own complex in Drax Hall, establishing a courier service the following year, before opening locations at Boulevard and Harbour View in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

Importantly, the company listed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange in 2014, opened its Montego Bay airport location in 2018, and introduced the first double-decker coach in 2019. Last year, the company recorded earnings of $237 million.

In marking two decades, both Chief Executive Officer Oliver Townsend and Executive Director Anthony Copeland recognised the invaluable contribution the staff, now numbering over 300, have made to the company.

“When Knutsford Express began in 2006, the vision was clear - to help transform travel in Jamaica by offering a service that was safe, reliable, comfortable, and convenient. What started as a vision has grown into a trusted transportation and courier brand serving customers across the island,” Townsend noted.

“To our customers, thank you for choosing Knutsford Express, for trusting us with your journeys, your packages, your families, your business travel, your airport connections, and your everyday movement across Jamaica. You’re the reason that we continue to improve.

“To our team, our existing staff and former team members who played a part in laying our foundation, thank you for your dedication, professionalism, and commitment to service.”

“The Knutsford Express experience is shaped every day by our customer transportation operators who operate our coaches, the people who serve our customers, handle our packages, manage our locations, support our systems, and keep the business moving behind the scenes.”

Townsend also saluted the company’s partners and sponsors, whom he recognised as valuable in serving communities.

“It would be remiss of me not to mention Jamaica Citadel, our insurance partner of 20 years, who continues to give us great counsel and service,” he added.

Townsend also hailed Mayor of St Ann’s Bay, Michael Belnavis, and by extension the St Ann Municipal Corporation for the facilitative role he played in the construction of the Knutsford Express Centre in Drax Hall.

Copeland, who made reference to  Two White Girls Pon a Minibus, promised to continue modernising the fleet, improving infrastructure and implementing new technology to make customers and staff more comfortable. He made it clear, however, that the company’s staff members are special.

“The real engine of Knutsford Express is our people, our customer transportation operators, the face of our company that battles weather, road conditions and traffic, delivering a safe and reliable service to our customers daily,” Copeland said.

“Our corporate staff, their strategic planning keeps our wheels turning smoothly behind the scene, their dedication to your late nights, early mornings and taking pride in your work are one of many reasons why you can celebrate two decades of success. Thank you all for being here. May God continue to bless you all, as we move forward to another 20-odd years,” he added.

Meanwhile, Michael Baugh, managing director of Jamaica Citadel Insurance Brokers, hailed the relationship between both entities over the last 20 years and said his company has tailor-made an insurance package for Knutsford Express “that will protect you at all corners”. 

carl.gilchrist@gleanerjm.com

File name: Copeland

Caption: Anthony Copeland, executive director, Knutsford Express. Photos by Carl Gilchrist

File name: Townsend

Caption: Oliver Townsend, chief executive officer, Knutsford Express.

File name: Baugh

Caption: Michael Baugh, managing director, Jamaica Citadel Insurance Brokers.

File name: Belnavis

Caption: Mayor of St Ann’s Bay, Michael Belnavis.

File name: Knutsford express 

Caption: A Knutsford Express coach, at Drax Hall, St Ann.