Starting Sunday, September 1, student bus fares will see an increase; however, those utilizing blue and yellow bus cards will remain unaffected.
Joel Abraham, CEO of the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC), stated that while student fares have been adjusted to match adult fares, the Government will fully subsidize this change.
“To ensure that families are not adversely affected by the new fare structure, we assessed that these changes will not financially impact students or their parents. The Government’s subsidy completely covers any additional costs for students, including weekends and school holidays, while adult fares will stay the same,” he explained.
Details on the fare structure include:
– For Blue Card holders: The Government will entirely subsidize any additional student fare.
– For Yellow Card holders: Students will continue paying the current fare, with the remainder subsidized by the Government at all times, including weekends and school holidays.
This fare adjustment comes after an in-depth review by the FCCC, which has shifted to a per-seat fare allocation approach.
The FCCC’s review, conducted in close collaboration with bus industry operators, is aimed at ensuring that operators receive fair compensation through a complete cost recovery model.
Abraham noted that this initiative is designed to support the industry while keeping travel affordable for consumers.
He also emphasized that with the new fare system in place, bus operators are expected to maintain and improve service quality.
“We will closely monitor bus operators to ensure they adhere to the expected service standards and provide value to passengers according to the fare adjustments.”