A commuter pays her fare on a Jamaica Urban Transit Company bus in the Corporate Area yesterday. - Norman Grindley/Chief Photographer

The state-run bus company is seeking a 40 per cent hike in adult fares despite its recent claim that it understands the financial constraints facing its customers.

Ministry of Transport officials yesterday confirmed that the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) has requested a fare increase that would see adults paying $70 for a single stage, up from $50.

The JUTC has also requested a 33.33 per cent increase in the fare for children and the disabled which would see them paying $20 up from $15.

The transport ministry has submitted the fare-increase request to the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR), which is to make its recommendation to Transport Minister Mike Henry.

Three consultations are slated to be hosted by the OUR next month before it makes a recommendation.

Consultations will be held in Spanish Town, Portmore and Half-Way Tree.

However, the present laws restrict the OUR to making a recommendation to the transport minister who has the authority to determine if the bus company gets any increase and what would be the level of that increase.

News of the JUTC's request for a fare increase comes less than one week after the bus company rolled back fares on its express and premium services.

Effective last Monday, the JUTC cut between $20 and $80 off the fares for its express and premium services.

Explaining the rollback, corporate communications manager at the JUTC, Reginald Allen, noted that the bus company had increased the rates for these services in April because of rising operating costs.

Inability to pay

Allen stated that the downturn in the economy had adversely affected people's ability to pay for these services and influenced last week's fare reduction.

"Out of the recognition of people's inability, to a significant extent, to access the services at the increased costs, we have given due recognition and have decided to roll back these rates and facilitate the commuters to be able to access the service in the required numbers and to help them face the challenges of the global economic picture that has been unfolding before us," Allen claimed in a media interview.

Yesterday, The Gleaner was unsuccessful in its efforts to contact Allen.

arthur.hall@gleanerjm.com