Mariatou Colley, a passenger almost late for work, said the sudden fare demand caught her by surprise. “This came as news to me because I did not see anywhere the rightful authorities increased the fares. The only thing I saw was the fuel increment. I don’t have a problem paying the fare because if fuel has increased, there might certainly be a fare increment, but they should at least wait for the authorities to officially do it because this country is governed by laws,” she said.
Alagie Sarr, another commuter, said the garage is already notorious for vehicle scarcity during peak hours, and the fare dispute has made the situation worse. “Drivers should politely talk to passengers because there is no official increment from the government. Forcing passengers to pay their desired amount is creating chaos, which is already happening. The government needs to intervene and clarify whether fares will change or remain the same.”
Drivers, however, argue the fare increase is justified. Modou Joof of Westfield Bakau said passengers should understand that higher fuel costs mean higher fares. “This is our means of livelihood. If fuel prices rise and we do not increase fares, we will incur losses. Passengers should not blame us, the government needs to consider our welfare,” he said.
Lamin Camara, another driver, warned that a strike is possible if commuters continue to refuse the new fares. “We are all taxpayers, and our wellbeing should be taken into account,” he stated.
The government recently raised pump prices to D98.00 per litre for petrol and D95.00 per litre for diesel, translating into subsidies of D3.29 per litre for petrol and D29.72 per litre for diesel to cushion global price pressures. Previously, petrol sold at D82.50 per litre and diesel at D85.60 per litre.
The fare dispute disrupted transport services at Westfield-Bakau Garage, and possibly other garages leaving many commuters scrambling for alternatives and deepening frustration in the country’s busy transport hub.
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