The Metropolitan Bus Services Office (OMSA) five-peso fare increase comes into effect today. Travel on their air-conditioned buses will cost RD$15 and the others will cost RD$10. According to OMSA director Ignacio Ditren, this is a “last ditch survival” measure for the bus service.<\/p>\n
Ditren told Diario Libre yesterday that the decision “cannot be withdrawn”, because it is the result of a study carried out after the reduction of the subsidy that the Executive Branch sends to the organization.<\/p>\n
According to calculations made by OMSA, the cash flow will increase by between RD$300,000 and RD$400,000 per day, combining with the million that is normally collected by the institution.<\/p>\n
These funds, according to Ditren, “do not solve the institution’s problems, but (he said) we expect to be helped with the repairs of a few more of the buses in order to put them back in service”.<\/p>\n
The traveling public often complains of the poor condition of the buses and their frequent breakdowns, in addition to the long waits between buses.<\/p>\n
The Fernandez administration has preferred to concentrate on funding the costly maintenance of Metro 1 and the construction of the Metro 2 line, rather than keeping bus service at optimum levels.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Metropolitan Bus Services Office (OMSA) five-peso fare increase comes into effect today. Travel on their air-conditioned buses will cost RD$15 and the others will cost RD$10. According to OMSA director Ignacio Ditren, this is a “last ditch survival” measure for the bus service. Ditren told Diario Libre yesterday that the decision “cannot be withdrawn”, … <\/p>\n