By Adama K. Jallow
The increase in transport fare by the public transport drivers came as a result of the high fuel price The Voice was reliably informed.
In an interview with The Voice, Modu Mbye, who serves as the head of the Brikama garage ‘chef de garage’ in Serrekunda said drivers have long anticipated the increase of transport fare due to the high fuel price.
He noted that they have not added the fare for the past five years, but this current transport fare increment is neither in favor of drivers nor passengers.
Mbye informed that people travel long distances for their daily transactions and with this increment, it could be a pinch on both parties.
He said the drivers are also family heads and it is through their work they generate income to feed their families, so it would be difficult for them to spend the little they earned on the purchase of gasoil. Therefore, he said, there is need to reduce the fuel price to less the burden on the passengers and drivers.
Drivers would not increase the transport fair without the high fuel price, he said and that if the fuel had not been increased, no driver would dare increase fare.
According to him, there is a new law in effect with tags to be stamped on each public transport to indicate the distance to be covered by a particular driver, example from Serrekunda to Brikama.
This, he noted, would also not be fair to increase the transport fare and bother passengers with many cuts along the way.
He however cautioned that any driver apprehended with the attitude of breaking distance, example, from Serrekunda-Latrikunda-Tabokoto and finally to Coastal Road, just to receive more payments from the passengers after the implementation of the said price increment would face the consequences.
He therefore appealed to drivers to abide by the law and also have sympathy on passengers, particularly in this Holy month of Ramadan.
Also, he appealed to the government to reduce the fuel price so that they can return to the previous transport fare for the interest of the people.