Plans to suspend services

THE Central Eastern Mini Buses Association plans to suspend services from Suva to Nausori in light of the COVID-19 measures announced by the Land Transport Authority.

This was highlighted by association general secretary Yashwardhan Ram.

Mr Ram said their business had been affected by up to 60 per cent because passengers were now asking to sit two metres apart in their vehicles.

“Running a minibus with six or seven passengers in a 15-seater minibus is not profitable for us anymore since people will have to sit two metres apart,” he said.

“Now the passengers are panicking, telling the drivers to make people sit two metres apart.

“So in one run from Nausori to Suva, with $1.50 fare, if we take six passengers we will operate at a loss.

“In one run we will only make $9 income.”

He said the association wanted Government to consider the impact of social distancing on the minibus industry.

“Either they allow us to operate with full passengers or stop the service altogether.

“We cannot close our services because we will need the approval of the Government. If they tell us, only then we can close.”

Mr Ram claimed it was unfair because buses continued to operate “fully packed with passengers”.

He said people only used minibuses while travelling to and from work.

“During the day, there is no movement of passengers because cinemas, universities and the nightclubs are all closed.

“We have 40 members and 45 minibuses in our fleet.”