The bus company came in for strong criticism yesterday as some commuters in the Corporate Area and St Catherine reacted with anger to news that the JUTC has requested a 40 per cent increase in adult fares and a 33.33 per cent hike in fares for students and the disabled.

However, the company argued that this was the first time in four years that it was seeking an increase in regular bus fares.

No conflict with rollback

The JUTC also rejected any link between its fare-increase request and its recent decision to temporarily cut between $20 and $80 from the fares for its premium and regular services.

"An application now before the Ministry of Transport and Works for fare increases for the JUTC's regular bus service has long been in the making and is not in conflict with the recent rollback of fares for the company's speciality express and premium services," Reginald Allen, manager of corporate communica-tions at the JUTC, said yesterday in a release.

"The JUTC has no option at present but to seek adjustments to the regular fares, which were last adjusted in 2005. Failure to do so would put the company's operations and future in jeopardy, as there are no plans to increase the levels of subsidy to the company from the public purse," Allen added.

He argued that, in June last year, the entire public-transportation sector, except the JUTC, was granted fare increases despite the fact that all were competing in the same environment and faced the same challenges posed by illegal operators and legal operators operating contrary to their licences

arthur.hall@gleanerjm.com