Intrant says they are illegal, but the major operators of public transport vehicles are already imposing or threatening to impose a RD$5-RD$10 peso fare increase. The National Institute for Traffic and Ground Transport (Intrant) says that the announced RD$5 fare increase in public transport is illegal and Intrant is the only body that can review fares according to Mobility, Ground Transport, Traffic and Road Safety Law 63-17, stated Viviano de León, press officer for Intrant to El Caribe. Spokesmen for providers of the public transport service want an increase in the “bono gas” subsidy made by the government to compensate for the constant increases in the price of fuel. Major transporters want a change in the Hydrocarbons Law 112-00 that the government is arguing allows the routine increases in the cost of fuel.
Because of recent price increases in fuels, many publico and bus drivers have already increased their fares for passengers by RD $5 and RD $10. However, according to the president of the National Confederation of Transportation Organizations (CONATRA) Antonio Marte, these fare increases have not yet been approved by his union. Marte went on to tell reporters for most of the nation’s newspapers that it would be this week when his union would decide whether or not to officially increase fares. The other player in this scenario is the National Transportation Institute (Intrant) that has not approved any fare hikes by any of the different transportation unions.
After the price increases of gasoline, diesel, and LPG instituted on 7 September, many local public transport union members staged strikes and protests throughout last week. Marte, together with several members of the leadership of CONATRA delivered documents to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce which stated that the drivers belonging to the union “can no longer shoulder the high fuel prices.” Last Friday, 14 September 2018, gasoline prices went down slightly, and the reaction by different transportation syndicates is expected this week.
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17 September 2018
