THE bus fare increase sought by the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) will not finance the replacement of disabled buses, says president Patrick McIntosh, adding that he simply needs more money to keep the fleet operational.

The capital outlay on the fleet, he told a public meeting for commuter feedback on the review of the current fare structure Thursday, is an expense to be borne by the government.

“As far as the replacement of the buses is concerned, the fare increase that we have asked for will not cover that,” said the JUTC president at the consultation held at the Holy Cross Church on Half Way Tree Road in Kingston Thursday.

“It will cover our operating expenses … our intention is to break even as far as our operating expenses are concerned. We are not trying to recover capital costs for replacement of the buses and depots.”

McIntosh says government currently contributes some $1.24 billion or 26 per cent of the annual expenses of the JUTC, and is investing an additional $6 billion to build five depots and set up a sixth at North Odeon and South Odeon Avenue as a central maintenance facility.

JUTC wants an increase in adult fares from $40 to $60 and for children from $15 to $20.

The bus company itself is taking new measures to improve efficiency, including a revenue protection programme and route rationalisation plan.

McIntosh also disclosed that come September, JUTC will also be publishing a timetable of bus movements on some routes.

“In the seven years of the company no timetable has been published, so passengers can know when to expect a bus and the frequency of a particular route. Right now we are actively preparing those timetables and we intend to start rolling them out by the beginning of September,” said McIntosh.

Another initiative is a consumers affairs committee for feedback from the public on the service provided, and customer service guides, who will basically act as field agents offering on-spot assistance to commuters at the bus stops.

“We are going to set up the ways and means to receive feedback on a regular basis and also to share it with our crews, because it is important for them to hear what the customers have to say,” the JUTC president told the forum, which was organised by the Office of the Utilities Regulation, which will decide on the merit of the request.

The electronic Smart Card outlets are also to be increased to boost usage of the cards as a mode of fare payment, from the three to six per cent last year to a targeted 25 per cent.

Notwithstanding, the bus company’s plans, Hopeton O’Connor Dennie, president of the National Association of Consumer Organisations, argued at the consultation that the requested 100 per cent increase was too steep, saying it would add thousands to a family’s monthly travelling expenses.

Others at the forum suggested a reduction in the size of the buses, to which McIntosh responded that it was under consideration.

“When purchasing buses again, we will certainly have a better combination of big and small buses,” he said.