Starting Sunday, September 1, there will be an increase in student bus fares, but users of the blue and yellow bus cards will not be affected by this change.
Joel Abraham, CEO of the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC), explained that student fares have been modified to be in line with adult fares. However, the Government will fully subsidize this increase to ensure families are not financially burdened. He noted that the changes will have no financial impact on students or their parents, as the subsidy will cover any additional costs, even during weekends and school holidays, while adult fare prices will remain unchanged.
Details of the fare adjustments are as follows:
– Blue Card: The Government will fully subsidize 100% of the additional student fare.
– Yellow Card: Students will continue to pay the existing fare, with the remainder covered by the Government at all times, including weekends and school holidays.
This fare adjustment is a result of a thorough review conducted by the FCCC, which introduced a per-seat fare allocation model. The review was carried out in close cooperation with bus industry operators to ensure they receive fair compensation through a full cost recovery model.
Mr. Abraham highlighted that these changes aim to support the bus industry while keeping services affordable for consumers. He emphasized the importance of bus operators enhancing service quality in light of the new fare structure.
The FCCC will closely monitor the services provided by bus operators to ensure they meet expected standards and deliver value to passengers following the fare adjustments.