Latest update April 7th, 2025 6:08 AM
Don’t pay hiked late night fares – Minibus Union Head
By: Anastacya Peters
President of the United Minibus Union (UMU), Eon Andrews, is urging commuters to desist from paying the hiked fares that minibus operators would normally instill after 21:00hrs.
Picture showing persons boarding minibuses at the bus park
This comes after numerous reports and complaints were lodged at the union about some bus operators raising the fares to unusual prices at night.
In a recent interview, Mr. Andrews described such increase as a blatant and barefaced robbery being carried out on desperate and innocent road users trying to get home or to work.
Kaieteur News understands that drivers operating the 40, 41, 44 and 48 routes are accused of illegally hiking the regular bus fare during the night. This is widely criticised by commuters, especially those working the night shifts.
According to reports, commuters are complaining that before entering a bus they are being ordered by some minibus operators that they have to pay as much as an additional $100.
After 21:00hrs is usually described as the time when the minibus parks are crowded with passengers and knowing this, the operators jack up the fares.
Mr. Andrews is pleading with commuters not to fall prey to these bus operators and pay the extra fare. However, as the right thing to do,
UMU Head, Eon Andrews
he is telling persons to document the registration number and the route of the minibus charging the higher fare and report the matter to the nearest police station or to the United Minibus Union (UMU) head office.
He also stated that there may be a need for other organisations to be involved, so that they will be some sort of price control to combat drivers from overcharging passengers.
“We have to get persons who can manage such issues and even arrest drivers found doing such; because on many instances the increases are demanded from passengers and is usually followed by threats.”
When asked if the minibus operators had anything to say about the illegal hike in fares, Mr. Andrews’s stated that the explanation reaching the union was that it is largely based on greed.
“The explanation is that a lot of minibuses would usually work in the day time and in order to make up for any losses during that time, the operators work during the peak hours and increase the fares.
This illegal hike in fares occurs despite the implementation of a new fare structure that was approved by the ministry of business in August 2018.
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