Commercial drivers at the Badibu Kerewan garage in Farafenni express concerns over the new transport tariffs.
Late last year, the General Transport Union, the Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure, and other relevant stakeholders launched national fare tariffs for all official routes across the country.
However, this new move could go better with some commercial van drivers at the Kerewan garage in Farafenni.
Omar Mbowe, a driver at the garage, says the increment is not for drivers in the North Bank Region but rather the greater Banjul area and the West Region.
‘’In my opinion, before making any increments, you should try to know the distance of places covered by drivers. Plus, the number of liters of fuel which may likely be consumed,’’ Omar noted.
He added that the transport ministry lowered their tariff to one hundred and forty-six Dalasis.
They lamented that when this amount is multiplied by seven, it will equal one thousand and twenty-two Dalasis. And twenty liters of fuel is one thousand four hundred and fifty Dalasis.
This, according to Omar, is not favorable to them.
There are rumors making rounds that passengers complain of being overcharged at the Kerewan garage for two hundred Dalasis instead of following the transport tariff, which is one hundred and forty-five Dalasis.
Dawda Gaye, a driver at the garage, when asked about this claim, quickly denied this allegation and blamed the government for the misunderstanding.
‘’No passenger complains about the alleged two hundred Dalasis tariff. We have been charging passengers that amount for about two years; the government is causing the problem. ’Mr. Gaye disclosed.
These North Bank Region drivers blamed the government for not informing them about the new changes in the new transport tariffs.
Modou Cham, another driver at the busy garage, says they had the increment we were yarning for about two years. The transport union president should have consulted his members on the new development. I blamed him for not communicating with the regional executives.
Meanwhile, nine commercial drivers have been sentenced to one month in prison for overcharging passengers On Monday, 6th February 2023.
However, the Ministry of Transport Works and Infrastructure has urged all commercial drivers to adhere to the new tariffs.
