What is the true cost of the fare increase?
Author : teriannI can’t keep up with the ever changing increases in bus fares. I understand that the once $60.00 that was to be paid by senior citizens will now be reduced to $40.00.
I read a news report in which it was suggested that the fare was reduced because of consultations with various interest groups. This makes me wonder if those consultations could not have been arranged prior to the announcement of the increase.
One senior citizen I spoke to felt that the increase was always going to be $40.00 and the first figure was only announced to ‘test the waters’ and make the ‘powers that be’ appear charitable to its citizens.
Regardless of the reasoning behind the reduction it is certainly good news for those citizens who are the most vulnerable as they would have been the hardest hit.
What is the real cost?
Well realistically when bus fares are increased persons who have to travel to work will now ask their employees for extra money to cover thier expenses. School age children will also be affected as they will now need extra lunch money.
Persons who are self employed will also charge more for their services as their travel costs will now be much higher.
Those who get reimbursed for travelling will also have to submit increased bills.
At least one trade union has indicated that the bus fare increase will affect its future wage and benefits negotiations with the government.
So what will consumers pay?
Effective August 24, 2014, adults who were accustomed to paying $100.00 will now have to pay $20.00 more for their ride. That amount might seem small to some people but not everyone will have the ability to pay.
Children will now also have to pay $30.00 in order to ride the buses.
So should we expect that taxis and other privately owned transportation will increase their fares?
Only time will tell!
What’s your take on the issue?
Leave a line below!
Teri Ann Renee Paisley
Gleaner Online Writer
Tags: bus fare increase
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2 Responses to “What is the true cost of the fare increase?”
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No doubt other transportation folks
will increase their fares too.
Only the use of SMARTER-cards should
go in effect to ride the bus, all
cash collections should be eliminated
something you would think these ppl
running the show would figure out, some
of the slow leak of funds are due to
employees theft that continues & no
proper scheduling, so the robots dodge
& swipe passengers wanting to get to
work & elsewhere on time.
Amazing that in 7 days they announced & planned an AD drive on Saturday in parade
giving away exercise & dictionaries to kids,
parents or grandma who whined best as music
played.In the boiling sun these ppl crowded around JUTC vans for the freeness, others
to get their cards forgetting the woes of
fare increase.
Parade crowd turned out to be larger than
Mr Holness peaceful protest, but the whole
situation clearly speaks for itself, JAs
are never going to have a country that even
comes close to a 1st world nation.
Mr Holness got there at 8 am, he announced
a 7 am start, he did not use JUTC to get
there which would have been a good idea, but
none of our leaders would be caught riding JUTC, I think none but one protest brought
out JAs in numbers,Mr Holness protest did not, neither was I impressed with the turn out
at the march from Childrens to Emancipation
Pk against molestation in our midst, but record numbers did show up for one march.
JAs have to accept the new fARES the gov
and JUTC have enforced and say *A Jamdung wi deh* I hope there will be better service,
more buses for the school children just
like the Gov.workers.Training also to the
many angry JUTC employees abusing passengers
would be a great idea after such enormous increase on citizens of this nation.
Thanks Jojo your comments are appreciated let’s see if we can ‘bend the ears’ of the ‘powers that be’ so they can heed your suggestions.