Marcus Bryan stood in Spanish Town's busy business district with his hands on his jaws and seemed dazed. He was left stunned after he heard media reports that he would have to find an additional $60 daily to pay for bus fare between Kingston and Spanish Town round trip

On Tuesday, Transport Minister Mike Henry announced that passengers travelling on the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) buses would face an increase come April 1. On that day, the fare per trip will move from $50 to $80. This represents an increase of $30 per trip.

It is this massive jump that has stunned Bryan.

"I will be forced now to find an additional $300 per week because I take the bus to and from work," said Bryan, who lives in Spanish Town but works in Kingston. "That's an additional $1,200 monthly, and I have other expenses to think about on my low pay," he said.

Other persons with whom THE STAR spoke had similar views with some saying that the hike was too high and needed to be rolled back for the benefit of the travelling public.

"The fare is just too high man. We can't afford to go to school now as the parents done a find it very hard already to send the children to school; them certainly not rich," reasoned a male Donald Quarrie student.

complaints

He has reasons to complain too. The children and the elderly would be affected when their fares move from $15 to $20.

In a release on Tuesday, Reginald Allen, communication director of the JUTC, said the increase was necessary to help offset expenses and earn money for the company.

"Over the present fiscal year, the monthly subsidy to the company was reduced from $64 million to $54 million, which is set to be reduced to $50 million over the next fiscal year," the release said.

He added that "The average 46.7 per cent JUTC fare increase, the first in five years, amounts to less than the aggregate 50 per cent increase which was granted to taxi operators over the last two years, that has resulted in fares of $90 being charged in many instances ... The latest increase represents the Government's best effort to balance the need to recover the JUTC's operating costs and lower the level of public subsidy to the company, while maintaining affordable public transportation rates within the KMTR."

However, while the Government said the increase was necessary, commuters think that a smaller increase would have been more acceptable.

"Fi find $80 in a dem time yah wicked. If dem did seh $60 or $70, it wouldn't so bad. But $80 rough," said a man who gave his name as Junior, who said he lives in Spanish Town.