There has been growing confusion surrounding bus fare tapping for students, especially those using yellow bus cards, due to inconsistent fare practices.

In light of these issues, the Consumer Council of Fiji has pointed out the importance of clear communication and urged immediate action to protect students’ rights.

The Council says they have received multiple reports from consumers about bus drivers asking students to tap twice, while some students have been refused service and offloaded from buses.

Chief Executive Seema Shandil says, according to clarifications by the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission, the Ministry of Education, and the Land Transport Authority, students who tap their yellow cards should still be charged half of the adult fare.

She adds that the Ministry of Education is committed to subsidizing fare increases for yellow card holders, allowing students to continue paying the existing half-fare rate, applicable even during school holidays and weekends.

She also states it was made clear that students are not required to tap their cards twice when boarding buses.

Shandil adds that earlier this year, consumers were informed that bus fares for Viti Levu and Vanua Levu would now be calculated on a per-seat basis, as approved by the FCCC.

However, she says there still seems to be a lot of misinformation and confusion about the bus fares charged by bus operators and bus drivers.

Shandil says consumers are also reporting that bus drivers are insisting, and at times arguing, that tapping twice is a new policy authorized by the Land Transport Authority.

She adds that investigations conducted by the Council confirm there is no such instruction or directive from the LTA, FCCC, or the Ministry of Education.

Shandil states that throughout their investigations, they discovered some bus drivers are adhering to management instructions to implement the double-tap rule.

She adds that drivers have reported being instructed by their companies to require students to tap twice.

The Chief Executive adds that when the Council contacted one of these companies, management denied issuing such directives.

Shandil says the inconsistency may indicate a communication gap between the companies and their drivers.