The Concerned Drivers Association (CDAG) has urged its members to disregard the recent calls for a reduction in transport fares and stick to the old fare.

“We are calling on our members to defy the information by the transport operators and continue with the already known fare,” the association said in a statement issued on May 16, 2023.

According to the association, “the driver unions and associations were not consulted as stakeholders before arriving at the decrease in the fares.”

The association, therefore, stated emphatically that “transport fares cannot be reduced.”

It noted that the “current decline in fuel prices cannot be the only indicator for the reduction of transport fares.

“As we speak, taxes are on the high, road worthy has increased, insurance of vehicle increased and prices of spare parts also the high.”

It, therefore, urged the “general public to cooperate” with the association when joining vehicles.

Meanwhile, the leadership of True Drivers Union has urged its members to withdraw all services rendered to passengers effective today, Wednesday, May 17, 2023.

The move, according to the Union has become necessary to avoid any scuffle between drivers and passengers as their leaders continue to engage the transport ministry over the 10 percent reduction in transport fares.

On Monday, May 15, 2023, the Road Transport Operators announced a 10 percent reduction in transport fares and urged all commercial transport operators to heed the directive.

Unhappy with the move, the True Drivers Union says they will not be rendering services to passengers.

According to the Union, drivers need good concentration and the right frame of mind when driving and confrontations and disturbances between their mates and passengers are a recipe for disaster.

The Union in a statement also maintained that fuel remains last on the list of items they consider in pricing because there are other costs such as a 15 per cent increase in DVLA service charge, a 30 per cent increase in insurance charges, an increase in spare parts cost, reintroduction of income tax and a high cost of living.

The Union says its members feel betrayed by the transport ministry because they were in the process of getting feedback from their members on the 10 per cent transport fare reduction proposal to come back to the negotiation table only for them to hear the reduction announcement in the media.