Commuters oppose Citrasco’s fare surge petition

Only a few drivers, commuters and operators attend the LTFRB public hearing on the petition to increase the minimum fare for PUJ in region 7 held at the Cebu Normal University (CDN PHOTO/ JUNJIE MENDOZA)

 
CEBU CITY—A transport group in Cebu wants the minimum fare of public utility jeepneys to be at P8 from P6.50 during peak hours, or an increase of P1.50, to cover up the losses suffered by drivers in the wake of adjustments in fuel prices and high cost of spare parts.

But the proposal of Citrasco presented by its head Ryan Benjamin Yu was meted with opposition by commuters and Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston) Piston -Cebu officials who joined the public hearing held at the Centennial Stage of the Cebu Normal University in Cebu City.

“You would just create an argument between the drivers and commuters,” commuter Minda Ocleasa told Yu.

Under Yu’s proposal, the P1.50 increase would be implemented from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. when traffic in Metro Cebu area was at its worst.

Yu proposed requiring drivers to put clocks inside their units whose time would be used in determining the fare to be collected.

In case of confusion, he added the passengers and drivers would must negotiate to come up with an agreement but “ our drivers were told to always yield to the passengers.”

Yu said drivers needed a little increase to compensate for the losses since the traffic during peak hours had cut down the number of trips they made in a day –from seven trips to only five trips daily.

Greg Perez of Piston-Cebu said that instead of seeking for a fare surge,the Land Transportation and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) should just grant a 50-centavo provisional increase in minimum fare.

The increase, he added, should be implemented Perez is also seeking implementation of a uniform minimum fare in the country