Taxi fare hike takes effect

By Nakinskie Robinson  

 

 

Commuters are paying more to travel as the government has implemented the long-delayed 16 per cent increase in public passenger vehicle fares.

 

Transport Minister Daryl Vaz made the announcement at a press conference on Monday morning.

 

"I hearby announce that Cabinet has approved a 16 per cent fare increase for PPV operators. It will be effected today, June 2nd," Minister Vaz declared, moving the long-delayed fare adjustment into gear and making the journey to and from home for commuters more expensive. 

 

The 16 per cent increase is being phased in, with the first 8 per cent taking effect today. 

 

The remaining 8 per cent will take effect July 1. 

 

Transport operators have long been waiting for the fare adjustment, which forms the second tranche of a 35 per cent increase announced back in 2023.

 

The Transport Minister said a phased approach was taken to cushion the effects of inflation on commuters' pockets.

 

"It is simply to manage the inflationary impact. Sixteen per cent in any one month will be a big spiral for that particular month. So it really is only trying to balance and manage the situation as best as possible," he sought to explain. 

 

For passengers, this means that effective June 2, the route taxi fare between St. Ann's Bay and Ocho Rios would increase from $200 to $220 while the fare between Eltham Park and Spanish Town would move from $160 to $170. 

 

For rural stage-carriage services, the Ocho Rios to Kingston fare would increase from $560 to $610 and the Mandeville to May Pen fare would rise from $290 to $310.

 

And effective July 1, the additional increases would go as follows:

 

"The St. Ann's Bay to Ocho Rios route taxi fare would increase from $220 to $240 while the Eltham Park to Spanish Town fare would rise from $170 to $190. The rural stage-carriage fare between Ocho Rios and Kingston would increase from $610 to $660. Mandeville to May Pen fare would move from $310 to $330," said Mr. Vaz.

 

But while the adjustment has been welcomed by transport groups, President of the Transport Operators Development Sustainable Services (TODSS), Egeton Newman, has taken issue with the phased nature of the implementation. 

 

In response, Minister Vaz said, the decision was made by Cabinet after careful consideration. 

 

In the meantime, Minister Vaz has warned of punitive measures for rogue operators who seek to overcharge, asserting that there would be zero tolerance for such action. 

 

"What I don't want is those persons that had raised their fares arbitrarily and illegally already, to now do another fare increase on this government-announced increase. If you do so, you are going to feel the brunt of the law. Anybody that sees this happening, you have enough ways and means to communicate that by WhatsApp, by text, by calling the hotline number, any methodology that you want to use," he suggested.