First phase of PPV fare increase – 8% – takes effect today, with the rest to be implemented July 1

Public Passenger Vehicle (PPV) operators will receive half of their 16 per cent fare increase this month, with the remaining 8 per cent to take effect on July 1.

The first phase of the adjustment comes into effect today.

Speaking at a press conference in Kingston this morning, Transport Minister Daryl Vaz said the phased implementation of the fare increase was based on consideration of the inflationary impact a full implementation of the 16 per cent increase would have had this month.

Mr. Vaz also noted that the increase is designed to balance the economic realities facing PPV operators with the need to minimise the immediate impact on commuters.

Mr. Vaz said that following the first eight per cent adjustment, the proposed fare rates before rounding would increase to $122.04 with a per-kilometre rate of $7.56 for route taxis.

Rural stage carriage rates would increase to a base fare of $48.60 and $6.48 per kilometre.

For hackney carriage services, the base fare would rise to $346.68, the per-kilometre rate to $69.12, the waiting-time charge to $35.64 per five minutes and the long-hire rate to $1,108.08.

For the second phase of the adjustment in July, the Transport Minister noted that before rounding, route taxi fares would increase to a base fare of $131.76 and $8.64 per kilometre.

For example, Mr. Vaz noted that this month, the route taxi fare between St. Ann’s Bay and Ocho Rios in St. Ann will increase from $200 to $220, while the fare for Eltham Park to Spanish Town in St. Catherine will move from $160 to $170.

For rural stage carriage services, the Ocho Rios to Kingston fare will move from $560 to $610, while the Mandeville to May Pen fare will increase from $290 to $310.

The Minister stressed that the Government’s decision on the implementation of the fare increase was made following careful consideration and extensive dialogue with transport associations, the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Jamaica.