The Tribune

By Fay Simmons

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

Both the Government and bus owners yesterday said it was “premature” for jitney drivers to announce that fares will increase by 25 cents per trip for adults and junior/senior high school students with effect from Monday, August 14.

The Ministry of Transport and Housing, in a statement last night, said the Davis administration “has not concluded its deliberations for an effective date for the implementation of an increase in fares for the jitney industry” following the communication released by the Bahamas Unified Bus Drivers Union (BUDU).

Addressed to franchise holders, bus owners and drivers, it advised that jitney fares will be increasing by 25 cents for adults and junior and high school students with effect from August 14. This would take the bus fare to $1.50 for adults and $1.25 for junior and high school students in uniform during school hours, and $1.50 for the latter during school breaks and weekends. The rates for elderly passengers and primary school children were to remain unchanged.

“As of Monday, August 14, 2023, the bus fees/fares will be going up by $0.25,” the union, which represents jitney drivers, said. “Adults $1.25 will now be $1.50, students in senior high and junior high school will move from $1 to $1.25 in uniform during school hours but $1.50 during school breaks and weekends. Primary and senior citizens remain at $0.50 and $0.75. All other rates are to be adjusted by $0.25. This agreement has been agreed to by the union and the Ministry of Transportation.”

Rudolph Taylor, the union president, told Tribune Business it was advised in a meeting with Jobeth Coleby-Davis, minister of transport and housing, that the fare increase was approved by the Cabinet in March. He added that a meeting to advise the public of the changes was slated for the following month.

“On March 27, 2023, that was approved by Cabinet. This was stated in the union meeting with the minister. A Town Hall meeting was to be held by the minister and other parties in April 2023 advising the public,” Mr Taylor said.

Mrs Coleby-Davis last month said the Cabinet has been “speaking” about jitney fare increases, and that the Government plans to hold Town Mall meetings to advise the Bahamian public on the new rates.

“We’ve been speaking to Cabinet about that and we’re going to have some Town Hall meetings with the public to discuss and consider the potential of having some bus fare increases, but also some transformation in the industry, and we are still seeking some form of unification so that we can get a better busing system in the country,” she explained. “And for the next half of this year, we will be focusing a lot on how we do some transformation with that industry.”

The Ministry of Transport and Housing, in its statement last night, said senior citizens will not be impacted by any fare increases. It confirmed that public meetings and consultations will be held soon in a bid to create “a more modern and reliable bus system on New Providence”, which will include a further review of fares, passenger safety and service standards.

Pledging that the bus system will remain affordable for all, the ministry added: “As a demonstration of the ministry’s sensitivity to the plight of franchise owners and bus drivers, relief was provided through licensing fee waivers in October 2022 and May 2023.”

Harrison Moxey, the United Public Transportation Company’s (UPTC) president, yesterday said the announcement by the bus drivers’ union was “premature” as the unions are still under negotiations with the government and have a meeting scheduled for next week.

His union has been advocating for a bus fare increase of 75 cents, from $1.25 to $2, and branded an increase of 25 cents as “unacceptable”. He added that nothing as been finalised or gazetted, and that he will withhold any further comments until after the meeting next week.

Mr Moxey said: “I’ve seen that document they’ve been circulating. We’re meeting with the Government still. So they’re a bit confused on what they’re putting out. So I won’t have any comment at this time on that. Because they seem a bit perturbed with what the union put out as well. The negotiations haven’t been officially finalised so I don’t know if that’s the final word as yet.”

“I won’t comment further until next week when we’re set to have a meeting with them [the Government]. To my knowledge we’re still under negotiations. It’s not enforced and nothing is gazetted, so there’s no timeframe for no increase, and for an increase to happen it has to be gazetted before it becomes law.”

“I think is a bit premature. So we’re still waiting, waiting to see, but we don’t see that 25 centa as acceptable. We await but make no further comments until after our meeting. Next week, we anticipate.”