Taxi, bus fares to go up soon

Taxi and bus passengers must be prepared to fork out between 30% and 50% more for their trips, likely to be as soon as next month.

With the increase, a 10km taxi ride will cost more than RM10 instead of the current fare at RM8, and even more, should they get caught in a traffic jam.

The increase would encompass fares for taxis and stage, express and school buses.

Under the proposal, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said the starting fare for taxis would increase from RM2 to RM3 for the first kilometre with every subsequent 150m costing 13sen up from 10sen.

When the taxi is stationary, such as during a traffic jam, the proposed rate is 13sen for every 27 seconds, more than a 100% increase of the current fare structure of 10sen for every 45 seconds.

Nazri declined to reveal the proposed fare increase for buses, but sources had indicated that the hike would be around 30%.