Commuters struggle to meet fare hike

Many Jamaicans are currently up in arms over the recent fare increase for public passenger vehicles, stating that this increase is adding to their economic hardship.

Several commuters across the island say they are struggling to cope with the increase since it came into effect on Sunday.

Entrepreneur D. Thomas, 31, from Logwood, St Thomas, told THE WEEKEND STAR he will be spending over $10,000 a month in transportation costs.

"Mi love mummy P, but a .... she do," an infuriated Thomas said. "Weh yuh go wid an increase in these hard economic times, a stuck people and prevent dem from progressing. A town me go to do mi likkle hustling and mi can't go anymore. A nuff young people dis a go affect."

Thomas said since the increase from $80 he is now forced to pay $125 from his home in Logwood to Yallahs and then take another vehicle from Yallahs to Kingston at a cost of $170 to peddle his wares. Previously, he paid $140 for the Yallahs to Kingston trip.

Fiido, 37, from Slipe, St Elizabeth, said the increase has him concerned. "They charge according to distance, mi did affi give my son going primary school $500 a day just for transportation an' dat nuh include lunch money. It rough, I don't know what it will look like come September, but mi probably affi guh gi him $1,000 fi him fare."

Michelle Douglas from Portmore, St Catherine, expressed, "Right now, a bare overcharge a gwaan; people soon start walk some distances cause we can't manage. I have to travel from Portmore to Harbour View five days a week."

However, despite the complaints by many commuters, some are coping.

"The fare alright to me, because it's been a while since it increase and it rough on the operators. It rough on us as commuters, too, yes, but we must try strike a balance. I am ok with the increase; I will try and manage," Brenda Tomlin said.

Public passenger vehicle operators, however, are lauding the increase.

"A long time now we fi get an increase; yeah, passengers complaining about it from long time, but we as taxi drivers have to think bout gas, weh guh up every day and servicing vehicle," said Dwight, a cabbie who plies the Papine to downtown route.

Michelle, a bus conductress added: "Most of di people dem a work wid di increase. Mi nuh have no problem with the woman dem, but di man dem nuh like leggo money."