St Thomas Residents Feel The Burden Of Fare Increase

MORANT BAY, St Thomas:MORE THAN two months after a 25 per cent hike in bus fares across the island, commuters in St Thomas are still reeling from the additional strain. The much-lamented increase came at a time when most families were preparing for back-to-school, having made little or no preparation for additional costs in their budgets. And the effects are still being felt. Often described as a dormitory parish, St Thomas is where people live and not often where they do business. Most individuals go out of parish to take advantage of employment opportunities - with many being employed in Kingston - and even as far away as St Catherine. For students, this is also true. Though the parish has many traditional high schools, through necessity and the choice of some students and parents, many high school-aged children attend school in the Corporate Area. For these persons, the bus fare hike was especially daunting. Before the increase, the standard fare by bus was $200, and $300 by taxi from Morant Bay to downtown Kingston. With the increase, the fare now stands at $250 and $350, respectively. To many, this may not seem much, but when a five-day workweek is taken into account, with trips to and from the parish, and when it is considered that many persons have to travel from their rural communities to the parish's capital, it becomes clear that travel is often burdensome. And, of course, there are those who are taking advantage of the situation. Some persons report that students are left behind unless they agree to pay full adult price, while others say that taxi and bus operators are "rounding off" prices, as in the case of some operators who ply the Whitehall to Morant Bay route. The fare was increased from $120 to $145, but some operators charge $150, claiming it is more convenient to make change. Some taxi operators in 'out-of-the-way' areas in the parish have taken to setting their own prices because of confusion over the exact amount mandated by the 25 per cent increase. In addition to this, some taxi operators are not owners of the vehicles they drive. Several of them report that the owners have demanded an increase in the weekly wages paid for renting the car, forcing them to make extra trips to make the business profitable for themselves. Overcrowding is also a common practice, with five people, excluding the driver, in a car licensed to carry four. Many commuters report that they have had to make adjustments to their budgets and spending habits. André R., a 19-year-old student at the University of the West Indies, said his daily travel takes him from Sunning Hill to Morant Bay then downtown to the university and through this route back home. His travel expenses amount to $1,200 daily without considering lunch or emergencies. Though he still makes an effort to attend parties, he said he has given up travelling to school on weekends as he just cannot afford it. reallocate funds Marie G. said she is glad that she does not have any children as she cannot imagine what parents have to face in sending their children to school. "I have had to reallocate funds. Something has to give, and for me, that is lunch. A healthy lunch is cut down to a bun and cheese, and I get a drink from the cooler, which isn't enough for an adult through the day, so imagine a child! And then that's a doctor's bill cause you get sick, and it's less money in your pay cheque cause that's a day missed at work. It's a vicious cycle," she told Rural Xpress. Some persons have found a way to combat the crisis with simple innovations. Leona P said she does not leave home unless she has eaten a large, healthy breakfast, and she carpools as often as she can, offering to pay her neighbour a little money for gas at the end of the month. She also cooks extra at dinner for her husband and son, which she packs for them for lunch the following day. "Times are hard, but you can't surrender. I just try to do my best. I hope relief comes soon, though."