How much is the new Mandeville toll going to cost, and who will run the new leg of the highway?

So, the May Pen to Mandeville leg of Highway 2000 has been open since September and it’s been totally free to travel on so far. Prime Minister Andrew Holness said it will stay free until December 31.

But, if you’re like me who travels between Mandeville and Kingston every week on that highway, then you can’t wait to hear what they’re gonna charge. So, what’s the holdup? Why aren’t the prices out yet?

Well, the thing is the Government hasn’t decided who’s operating the highway yet. 

TransJamaican Highway, which is already responsible for operating and maintaining the East to West toll roads of Highway 2000, is the most likely candidate, but they are still in negotiations.

So we won’t know the cost of the toll until the negotiation is over, and all the ‘i’s are dotted and the ‘t’s crossed.

But Managing Director of TJH, Ivan Anderson, was on Taking Stock last year and he told us that the fare would be less than J$500.

Mmm, but inflation though. The cost of goods and services in May last year, when we did that interview, is not the same now. 

And TJH has raised the toll on its existing highways since then, so that rate per kilometre that he was talking about is likely to be higher now too.

It was a good first half of the year for TJH. There was record traffic at the toll plaza and the company made US$36 million in the first six months. Net profits also rose to US$11 million.

As investors, we’re also looking out for how the new leg will affect profits and our dividend payments.  TJH is one of the best dividend-paying companies in Jamaica.

And that’s the bottom line.