Cabinet has approved the increase of bus and taxi fares in St. Vincent and Bequia.
Effective Sept. 1, 2022, commuters on omnibuses will be required to pay EC$2 for any distance of a mile or less, commonly referred to as a “short drop”.
With the new fares, commuters will pay EC$8 to travel the 23 miles between the capital, Kingstown, and Chateaubelair or any place north of that North Leeward town.
On the windward side, commuters will have to pay EC$9 to travel the 35 miles between Fancy and the capital.
A trip to the interior community of Mesopotamia, a distance of eight miles, will now cost EC$3.50.
Most of the increases represent a 50 cents hike in the current prices, but in some communities, such as to Keartons, Barrouallie, and Wallilabou, it will increase by 25%, moving from EC$4 to EC$5.
The cost for a trip between the capital and Layou will now be EC$3.50 and EC$2.50 to Calliaqua.
The Cabinet has also established prices between regional capitals, such as Georgetown, Barrouallie, Chateaubelair and other communities.
For travel between Georgetown and Fancy, commuters are now required to pay EC$5, EC$4 to Owia or Point, EC$3 to Sandy Bay and EC$2 to London, Overland, Orange Hill and Magum.
From Barrouallie to Chateaubelair and beyond, the fare is EC$5; EC$4 to Rose Bank, Troumaca Rose Hall, and Petit Bordel; EC$3 to Coulls Hill, EC$2.50 to Spring Village and EC$2 to Belle Isle.
In Bequia, the highest fare is EC$2.50 between Port Elizabeth to Paget Farm and Barton Hill and EC$2 for other distances. The fee for a short drop is EC$2.
Taxi fare between Argyle International Airport and “short distances” such as Diamond and Spring is EC$39 (US$16) for one to three passengers, and EC$13 for each additional passenger.
The rate increases to EC$39 (US$16) after hours.
The cost of a taxi from the airport to Fancy is EC$240 (US$90) during regular hours and EC$300 (US$113) after hours.
To Richmond, it is EC$295 (US$111) during regular hours and EC$390 (US$130) after hours.
Meanwhile, passengers will pay EC$13 (US$5) for a trip within Kingstown or to its environs. That figure rises to EC$17 (US$7) after hours.
The fare to Mesopotamia (police station) is EC$65 (US$25) and EC$82 (US$30) after hours.
The fare from Kingstown to Fancy is EC$247 (US$92) and EC$309 (US$116) after hours, while to Richmond, it is EC$245 (US$87) and EC$293 (US$109) after hours.
