SOME of the drivers in Negros Occidental have already started securing the new fare matrix from the regional office of Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in Iloilo City last week.
This means, regular passengers will have to pay P8.50 for the first four kilometers and P6.80 for senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs) and students while for the succeeding kilometers, regular passengers will have to pay additional P1.15 and P0.92 for senior citizens, PWDs and students.
For the matrix, drivers paid P610 for every franchise.
Early this year, the P2.50 public utility jeepney fare increase was approved but it took a while for LTFRB to come up with the matrix.
It was only in the previous week that the matrix was released.
But not all drivers were able to secure it right away since they have to travel to Iloilo City to process it, which would be an additional cost for them.
According to the transport groups, it would entail a lot of money for the drivers to go to Iloilo since the LTFRB had shut down its satellite office in Bacolod.
Aside from that, they need to spend more time since the LTFRB regional office is too crowded as too many drivers are queuing to get the fare matrix.
Drivers could not demand the passengers to pay the new fare if they don’t have the new matrix.
No matrix, no increase.
The drivers have been clamoring to increase the jeepney fare as the prices of basic commodities and petroleum products have gone up.
At the end of the day, both drivers and passengers suffer due to the price increases.