Commuters in Lautoka can expect change in bus fare

Commuters from Lautoka, who have been travelling to and from home by Classic Buses, should expect a change in their bus fare soon.

This was confirmed by the Fiji Bus Operators president, Nisar Ali Shah, yesterday.

A concerned Lautoka resident traveling to Rifle Range noticed the change of fare on Monday.

The usual bus fare for the Rifle Range area is 68 cents since the new bus e-Ticketing system came into effect.

The customer, who wished to remain anonymous, said her fare on Monday was $1.11 (the standard charge for Stage 2 fare).

Mr Shah said the bus company had suddenly realised that it was charging less to passengers traveling to Rifle Range when they should’ve been charging 97 cents.

“Now the normal fare will be 97 cents and when the new fare comes into effect from February 10, the fare will be $1.04,” he said.

The change in bus fare will include all areas in Lautoka as well as travel on the outskirts of the city where the wrong fare was being charged. “The company has the right to correct the fare, and it is not doing anything illegal and is not overcharging everybody,” Mr Shah said.

Classic Buses managing director, Mohammed Adnan said the bus company had been charging passengers stage one fare instead of stage two fare.

“We don’t have to notify anyone, we were charging less fares now we are charging the actual fare, that is stage two fare,” he said.

“We started from Monday.”

It is understood that a team from the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission is looking into this matter.