Public told to report PMVs overcharging fares

By JECONIAH LUKIMA
PEOPLE travelling on public vehicles such as buses are being advised to report to police operators or drivers overcharging fares.
Joseph Salle, the officer in charge of traffic in the National Capital District was responding to complaints by some commuters that they were being charged K2 instead of K1 on some city routes.
“Passengers travelling on buses charging additional fares must get the registration number or plate number and the description of the PMV, and report it to the police,” he said.
A passenger travelling on a Route 9 bus from 4-Mile in Boroko to Gerehu claimed that he was told to pay K2 instead of the usual K1.
Salle said it seemed like a genuine complaint.
“He is one of the many passengers who are victims of such overcharging.
“I’m aware of that.
“The actual bus fare is K1 and has not been changed. When a passenger is charged K2, he or she is to get the number plate and then report the matter to the Gerehu police station,” he said.
He said passengers must report such cases to the nearest police station so that arrests could be made.
“The passengers that report this incident must be prepared to give his or her statement once the police have identified the PMV reported,” he said. Salle said it was sad to see students also charged K2 for bus fares.
“We have to work together with Road Traffic Authority and Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC) to address this issue,” he said.
ICCC Commissioner Paulus Ain told The National that there were no changes to the bus fares.
“The fare remains the same. There is no increase or changes,” he said