Bus fare hike in Yogyakarta

YOGYAKARTA: New bus fares were set by the local administration on Wednesday and are due to take effect on Thursday, the head of Yogyakarta's land transportation agency, Moenaji, said.

"The bus fare for students will be Rp 300, up from the previous Rp 150, and the general fare will go up from Rp 500 to Rp 600," he said.

The new policy is based on a gubernatorial decree.

Moenaji said the bus fare hike was unavoidable, adding that the city's bus companies had been demanding a much higher fare hike to cover their operational costs, which have soared during the economic crisis.

Moenaji hoped people, particularly students and their parents, understood and accepted the policy.

"Frankly, we should raise the fares higher than this," he said, comparing the amount of the fare hike to the rise in the operational costs for bus companies. (44/edt)