Cabinet approves new fares to take effect March 15

Durrant Pate/Contributor

Dominicans will be paying more for public transportation come March 15, as the Cabinet has approved the implementation of new bus fares and taxi rates.

The approved increase is in accordance with Section 3:2 (a) of the Vehicles and Road Traffic Act #17 of 1993. The Cabinet decision seeks to regularise fares, which have been in effect for some time, particularly on the airport route.

The increase was sought by the Dominica Transport Board, which made submissions to a Cabinet Task Force based on recommendations from the Airport Taxi Operators Association for increased taxi rates for plying the Douglas Charles Airport routes. The board also heard from representatives of bus drivers’ associations for increases in fares for buses travelling routes islandwide.

The Transport Board, using the approved schedule of fares of 2008 as a benchmark, recommended increases in bus fares ranging from $1.00 to $1.50 for longer routes from Roseau to communities across the island and $0.25 to $0.75 for shorter routes and inter-villages.