Commuters, operators concerned about higher fares

Confusion, anger and frustration circulated in the Half-Way Tree area on Wednesday when THE STAR visited various bus stops to hear what commuters and transporters thought about the fare increase set to start on Sunday.

The Government approved a 35 per cent fare increase for bus and taxi operators. The increase will be done in two stages starting with a 19 per cent increase starting on Sunday and an additional 16 per cent next April.

"To me, it just evil, especially to the school pickney dem, cah nuff a wi a come from far, especially Portmore. Suh if yuh check it up, a all $1,000 a wi bus fare when wi done, enuh," said Krishna Bennett, an 18-year-old student, who takes four or five buses to get from his home in Portmore to school in Mona.

Another commuter, Shawn Jackson, questioned why the fare was being increased from $120 to $150 and not $130.

"If dem fi duh dat, dem afi raise pay again too, simple," Jackson said.

But, some taxi operators said they were comfortable with the 15 per cent increase they got on August 16, 2021.

"Really and truly di taximan nuh wah nuh increase...wi done sekkle a 150 already," said S.J., a taxi operator who plies the Papine to Half-Way Tree route. Currently, passengers are being charged $150 on that route, but S.J. said that starting Monday, he will be charging $200. He criticised the recent massive pay increase for legislators, opining that other workers also deserved more.

"Yuh have other workers otherwise from taximan such like social workers, teachers, nurses, doctors. All a dem need help, anuh taximan alone...Dem should a get fi dem own long time plus increase pan fi dem salary," said S.J.

Tamara Grant, a conductor on the Half-Way Tree to Greater Portmore route, said commuters cannot afford a fare increase now.

"If JUTC [Jamaica Urban Transit Company] not raising fi dem own, we not raising our own. We are charging $140 now," said Grant.

Bus operator Prince Phipps, who travels between Kingston and Port Antonio, said that the fare increase is not beneficial to bus and taxi operators because most people either cannot afford it or are choosing to buy their own vehicles.

"Di more dem raise di fare a di less people travel, cah right now, see time a day, mi nuh guh over yet from morning. Mi leff out a mi house from 4:30 this morning, mi nuh mek one trip yet. Di first load mi load from morning fi guh over, nuh body nah travel ... and the fare aguh raise yah now it aguh mek it worst," Phipps said shortly before 2 p.m.

Phipps said he and other operators in his area will wait for their Corporate Area colleagues to state their increase, so they can triple theirs.

"We a go Port Antonio and yuh know that a whole heap a journey, three-hour drive. Suh normally if dem put on $50 round town, wi afi put on $100 or $150. But more likely it aguh be a 100 if wi a put on," said Phipps.

According to the Transport Authority fare chart, the current fare from Kingston to Port Antonio is $470. However, Prince said bus operators are charging $550, which commuters are struggling to afford.

"Suh maybe wi aguh duh a $650, [but] most people aguh wah pay 600," Phipps said.