Bus and “service” fares on the rise, will the government act?

Buses and “service” passengers woke up to an increase in tariffs from 1,000 LBP to 1,500 LBP per bus ride and from 2,000 LBP to 3,000 LBP per “service” ride inside Beirut.         
The Public Transportation Drivers Union in Lebanon said that the increase started from the Hay el Sellom parking lot and bus route number 4 in Kafa’at. Meanwhile, the head of Al-Walaa Transport Association Abdallah Hamadeh said that cars coming from Beirut increased the tariff, followed by the region’s drivers. Hamaded told LBCI that the association did not increase the tariff.          

Public vehicles’ owners call on concerned authorities to fix the prices of gasoline and diesel oil and seize the violating cars.     

Confederation of Land Transport and Taxi drivers chief Abdel-Amir Najda toured the Cola roundabout to make sure that bus and “service” drivers are committing to the regular pricing. He told LBCI that it has been 5 months now since public drivers received their last refund or gasoline allowance.        

Najda said that he will hold a meeting with PM Najib Mikati and Finance Minister Mohammad Safadi next Thursday, stressing that if no consensus is reached on a series of demands, the response will be immediate.