Jeepney drivers caught unawares by fare rollback

What fare reduction?

This was the reaction of several jeepney drivers in northern Metro Manila on the first day of the implementation of a Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board order recalling the 50-centavo hike in the minimum fare implemented in March.

Reggie Mandilo who plies the Navotas-Recto route told the Inquirer that he had heard about the jeepney fare rollback although he was not aware that it was supposed to take effect Tuesday.

As a result, he said he continued to charge his passengers P8.50.

“I honestly didn’t know about that. I thought the P8 minimum fare was only a proposal,” he added.

Asked if he had any quarrel with the fare rollback, Mandilo replied in the negative.

He said that there was “not much difference” between the new fare and the old, since the amount involved was only 50 centavos.

“When the minimum fare was P8.50, I sometimes charged [each] passenger P8 instead because I didn’t have 50 centavos [to give as change],” he said.

Rolly, another driver who plies the same route every day, told the Inquirer that he continued to charge each passenger P8.50 because he had not been informed about the rollback.

He said that the 10 passengers he had ferried so far did not demand that he charge them only P8.

“It’s either they don’t mind losing 50 centavos or they don’t know about the new fare rate either,” he said with a laugh.