MANILA – Aside from the recently-approved fare hike for jeepneys, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is looking into fare hike petitions of groups of other public utility vehicles such as UV Express and buses.
According to a report on “24 Oras,” some of the fees proposed in petitions that lay pending with the LTFRB are as follows:
City buses
Ordinary: P13.30 for the first 5 kilometers (Currently P10)
Air-conditioned: P15.95 for the first 5 kilometers (Currently P10)
Provincial buses
Ordinary
P11.95 for the first 5 kilometers (Currently P9)
P1.85 per succeeding kilometer (Currently P1.40)
Air-conditioned (proposed)
Regular – P2.15
Deluxe – P2.25
Super deluxe – P2.40
Luxury – P3
UV Express
P4 per kilometer (Currently P2 per kilometer)
The petitions cite additional expenses on the part of operators in light of the higher fuel prices, toll fees and the cost of spare parts.
The franchising body recently approved a one-peso fare hike for jeepneys with routes in the National Capital Region, Region 3 and Region 4 for the first four kilometers.
It increases the P8 minimum fare for jeepney passengers in the three areas to P9.
On the report, LTFRB charperson Martin Delgra reminded jeepney drivers that the increase does not affect the cost of trips succeeding 4 kilometers.
The board has yet to issue the signed order allowing jeepney operators to start charging passengers with the higher fare as of this posting.
It also has yet to resolve the P2 fare increase for jeepneys originally sought by various transport groups.
Efren de Luna, national president of ACTO, reiterated that the daily earnings of jeepney operators were badly impacted by rising fuel prices.
“Nakikita namin na talagang medyo mahihirapan na talaga ‘yung taongbayan do’n,” he said.
Last October 2017, the LTFRB allowed taxis to increase their flagdown rate by P10.
The Light Rail Transit, on the other hand, was given a go signal to hike its fare by P5 to P7 in March 2018. (GMA News)
