PMV owners urged to complete routes, stop overcharging

National

PUBLIC Motor Vehicle Association president Jack Waso has urged PMV bus owners in Port Moresby to stop overcharging passengers and to complete their routes.
Waso told The National yesterday that many PMV buses were overcharging passengers without completing their full routes.
“Two to three years ago, we used to pay K1 for complete routes but now it has gone up to K2,” he said.
“That is illegal. The fares PMVs are collecting from passengers, especially students on short and long distances, are not what the Independent Consumer and Competition Commission have set.
Waso said fares to all distances was supposed to be 90t for adults and 50t for students with uniforms, whether they were taking short or long routes.
“Charging students the same as adults when they are supposed to pay 50t is stealing and it also makes life difficult for low-income earners,” he said.
“If authorities find PMVs doing that, they must charge them.”
Waso said the passengers had the right to report buses charging high fares and not completing their routes to the authorities (police or Road Safety Authority).
“A route 7-registered bus is supposed to travel from Gerehu to 7-Mile and not to stop at Gordon, offload, pick up another lot of passenger and charge another fare to complete the route (to 7-Mile),” he said.
“The same applies to route-6 buses, they must complete their roundabout route from Gordon to Hohola and Manu Auto Port.
“All buses have a complete route but they are not following them.”