Although the Ground Transportation Department (OTTT) hasn’t fixed a new official fare, different transport trade unions have announced increases in the cost of public transportation. Diario Libre reports that the National Unified Transporters Center (CNTU) has increased their fares by RD$2, saying that the OTTT has not responded to their demands. Ramon Perez Figuereo of the CNTU said that OTTT Director German Pena Guadalupe has not wanted to regulate fares according to the new prices of fuel. Juan Hubieres of the FENATRANO union – which controls 45% of the urban public transport system – said the new fares would come into effect on Thursday. This union is raising fares by RD$2 and RD$3 on longer routes. CONATRA union leader Antonio Marte announced increases of RD$3 for urban routes. Inter-urban routes have been increased by between RD$3 and RD$5. The fare increases apply to buses; fares for public cars or “conchos” remain the same. El Caribe adds that the CNTU has authorized a RD$5 increase in taxi fares and that the increases authorized for other vehicles applies only to those running on gasoline or diesel. This is because a very high percentage of public cars or “conchos” use propane gas as fuel, and thus benefit from the government subsidy on the gas. Listin Diario states that CONATRA will wait until Wednesday for a reply from the OTTT to increase the urban fares as the higher interurban fares are being applied since last weekend. Also, FENATRANO leader Hubieres explained that the increase is unavoidable due to the continuously higher prices of fuel. The OTTT director was unavailable for comment.