Starting Sunday, September 1, student bus fares will experience an increase; however, those using 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 align with adult fares, the Government will fully subsidize the increase.
“To ensure that families are not impacted by the new fare structure, we assessed that any changes will have no financial burden on students and parents. The Government’s subsidy guarantees that any additional costs for students are entirely covered, including weekends and school holidays, while adult fares will remain unchanged,” he explained.
Fare Details include the following:
– Blue Card: The Government will completely subsidize the extra student fare.
– Yellow Card: Students will continue to pay the same fare, with the difference covered by the Government at all times, including weekends and school holidays.
This fare adjustment comes after a comprehensive review by the FCCC, which adopted a per-seat fare allocation model. The review, conducted in close collaboration with bus industry operators, ensures fair compensation for bus operators through a full cost recovery model.
Abraham noted that this initiative aims to sustain the bus industry while keeping services affordable for consumers. He stressed that, with the new fare structure, bus operators must enhance service quality.
“We will carefully monitor the services offered by bus operators to ensure they align with the expected standards and provide value to passengers in line with the fare changes.”