Students stranded as fares hike
Feb 02, 2009
STUDENTS and parents were stranded at taxi and bus parks as fares for up-country routes were hiked.
By Jeff Lule and Jude Kafuuma
STUDENTS and parents were stranded at taxi and bus parks as fares for up-country routes were hiked.
The new term officially opened yesterday but some students reported over the weekend.
In a survey yesterday morning, travellers going to Mbarara district were charged between sh15,000 to sh17,000, up from sh8,000 to sh10,000.
Those to Masaka district charged between sh10,000 and sh8,000 instead of sh7,000.
Passengers travelling to Mbale district were charged sh13,000, up from sh10,000 while fares to Jinja district were increased from sh4,000 to sh6,000.
The fare to Fort Portal in Kabarole district was increased from sh15,000 to sh20,000.
There was confusion as parents and children struggled to secure seats on the few buses destined for upcountry.
Many of them pleaded with bus conductors to reduce the fares.
“With the many people travelling, we also increase the fares. You also know that we have had a fuel crisis,†said Asah Nabaasa, a conductor at the Kasese stage.
Nabaasa said the loading fee charged by the Uganda Taxi Operators and Drivers Association (UTODA) was also increased from sh30,000 to sh40,000 during the back- to-school season.
A supervisor with Jussy Coaches Simon Birungi, attributed the hike to the fewer passengers making return journeys.
“We always make losses on our return journey,†said Birungi.
However, UTODA general secretary Charles Kamya said some operators who had increased their fares had been summoned by the organistaion.
“They are just dubious drivers. We have warned operators not hike fares at any one time for the good of the public,†said Kamya.
One of the stranded parents, Geoffrey Otayi, requested the Government to introduce a policy to manage the public transport sector.
Transport operators are in the habit of increasing fares as schools open and close for holidays.
STUDENTS and parents were stranded at taxi and bus parks as fares for up-country routes were hiked.
The new term officially opened yesterday but some students reported over the weekend.
In a survey yesterday morning, travellers going to Mbarara district were charged between sh15,000 to sh17,000, up from sh8,000 to sh10,000.
Those to Masaka district charged between sh10,000 and sh8,000 instead of sh7,000.
Passengers travelling to Mbale district were charged sh13,000, up from sh10,000 while fares to Jinja district were increased from sh4,000 to sh6,000.
The fare to Fort Portal in Kabarole district was increased from sh15,000 to sh20,000.
There was confusion as parents and children struggled to secure seats on the few buses destined for upcountry.
Many of them pleaded with bus conductors to reduce the fares.
“With the many people travelling, we also increase the fares. You also know that we have had a fuel crisis,†said Asah Nabaasa, a conductor at the Kasese stage.
Nabaasa said the loading fee charged by the Uganda Taxi Operators and Drivers Association (UTODA) was also increased from sh30,000 to sh40,000 during the back- to-school season.
A supervisor with Jussy Coaches Simon Birungi, attributed the hike to the fewer passengers making return journeys.
“We always make losses on our return journey,†said Birungi.
However, UTODA general secretary Charles Kamya said some operators who had increased their fares had been summoned by the organistaion.
“They are just dubious drivers. We have warned operators not hike fares at any one time for the good of the public,†said Kamya.
One of the stranded parents, Geoffrey Otayi, requested the Government to introduce a policy to manage the public transport sector.
Transport operators are in the habit of increasing fares as schools open and close for holidays.