Transport fares stay the same despite fuel price cut

The public’s expectation of a reduction in transport fares following a reduction in petrol and diesel prices didn’t come to pass as fares remained the same, with public transporters insisting that the decrease wasn’t enough to merit a reduction.

“Over the last year, fares have increased multiple times due to fuel price hikes. But they have never decreased when those prices went down as has been the case again today,” said Muhammad Shahbaz, who travels daily from the railway station to Kutcherry chowk.

The overwhelming majority of users of public transport echoed the sentiment.

The caretaker information minister, Murtaza Solangi, also chimed in on the issue, saying that the transporters were bound to reduce fares and freight charges as the government had significantly decreased prices of petroleum products.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Solangi wrote: "Whenever prices of these products rose, the transport sector increased freight charges and transportation fares. Now, they (transporters) are bound to provide relief to the masses by reducing them.”

Several passengers sitting in the passenger sitting in a vehicle even demanded that the driver and staff to charge less fare but the transporter refused, said Ali Javed. They urged the district administration should take action against such transporters.

Meanwhile, those involved in public transport said that while fuel prices were reduced, the constant rise in costs of repair, spare parts, tyres, etc., meant they were barely making enough to stay in business.

They said they could not reduce fares until inflation was tackled as rising prices meant that their operational cost was constantly increasing.

The Regional Transport Authority said the Punjab govt was yet to issue the notification regarding the reduction in fares.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 17^th, 2023.