ROUTE 44 minibus operators have imposed a $200 fare hike on passengers plying the East Coast Demerara corridor, and the authorities are seemingly oblivious to this development.

The regular fare is $120 from Georgetown to Non Pareil, but some minibus operators charge $160 per person, while others take $200, an increase of $80 on the fare.

School children and the elderly are not exempted from this new fare increase, imposed by unscrupulous minibus operators and announced only in the afternoon, when the travelling public needs to get home. The regular fare is charged in the morning hours.

As early as after noontime, passengers have to pay the new fare in order to get to their destinations; and ‘touts’ and minibus operators demand payment before a commuter can enter the bus, leaving the travelling public with no choice but to pay.

Remarkably, various associations that advocate for minibus operators have been mum on this issue, and when contacted yesterday, several of them claimed ignorance of this development.

The short-drop fare automatically goes up in the afternoon hours from $60 to as high as $80 and even $100. Passengers have been voicing their disapproval at this predatory practice, but to no avail, and even the police have not been saying much on the issue.

Vice President of the United Minibus Association, Ronald Backer, yesterday told this publication that the association is not endorsing this new fare structure, and does not approve of the predatory action of the bus operators. He added that members of the association are in discussion with the Ministry but no hike in the fares has been approved, and in any event, fare hikes need to be done in an organised manner.

Passengers have been against the hike, but there isn’t much they can do, since the authorities have been unable to put measures in place to relieve the financial hardship on passengers utilising public transportation.

(By Michel Outridge)