Raises on Travel Rates Causes Protests

RIOBAMBA – Social, educational and indigenous organizations along with several citizens protested in the city due to the raise on the bus travel rates.

At least three provinces of the country express their contempt because of this new rate on the travel tickets. This increases started from 0,18 to 0,20 and 0,25 cents of a dollar. Bus travellers backup this allegation.

The province of Chimborazo and Los Ríos have already implemented these rates, in Tungurahua new rates have been applied but its acceptance depends on the Cantonal Council of Ambato, since they have the competiveness of this service.

In Babahoyo many of the passengers said that this rate is outrageous, school leaders protested against the urban services cooperatives in Santa Rita y Fluminense, who have been operating since August 31 and have raised the travel toll from 0,18 to 0,25 cents of a dollar.

Last week demonstrators of Universidad de Babahoyo marched. “No one has authorized this new rates and it’s unfair,” said Jorge Zapata, president of the FEUE, who affirms that the distances the transports travel, is short.

Nelson Lara, the president of the travel cooperative in Fluminense commented that this equalization compensates the maintenance costs and the spare parts of the vehicles. This measure hasn’t been done for eight years. In the provinces of Quevedo, Los Ríos, urban cooperatives decided to raise the ticket cost from 0,18 to 0,20 cents of a dollar.

The juvenile organizations in Riobamba consist on high school students and groups of women along with the Movimiento Indigena de Chimboraza, the merchants of the plazas marched on Thursday and Friday and announced that there will be more marches for the rest of the week.

Local bus drivers confirmed that the national cost of the ticket has been 0,25 of a dollar for years.