Even though fuel prices have reduced by between RD$10 and RD$38 over the past couple of months, public transport operators say they have no plans to lower their fares as diesel and liquid petroleum gas prices are still higher than in 2008, when they reached an agreement with the government not to raise prices but to take a subsidy instead, which they say has never been paid properly.
The Fenatrano and Conatra transport unions leaders, Juan Hubieres and Antonio Marte, said that when diesel was at RD$140 the government promised to give them a subsidy if they did not raise their fares. However, that only covered 8 to 14 days of work a month.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the price of premium gasoline has gone down by RD$38.5 and regular by RD$35.8 since June, while diesel has gone down by RD$2.5 and LPG by RD$10.3.
The Director General of the Ground Transport Office (OTTT), Hector Mojica, is calling on the transport unions to sit down and discuss ways of lowering fares and has appointed a committee to coordinate the dialogue.
Transportistas afirman no hay motivos para bajar los pasajes