“It is a figure that does not bring us very good memories,” they recognize from the entity. In any case, from the government they intend to subsidize the difference in the ticket so that an increase in public transport is not necessary.
The Public Transport Expert Panel recommended raising the value of Transantiago by 30 pesos, what to ride with RED buses in the Metropolitan region would amount to 730 pesos and in the Metro to $830 during peak hoursas long as the government does not increase the subsidy for transport.
The increase in public transport occurs two and a half years following the same Panel of Experts raised the value of buses and also of the Santiago Metro, which generated a wave of mass evasions in different parts of the capital, and later massive protests and riots in subway stations.
Agency One
Read Also >
Boric and pensions: “What the workers have saved is theirs and that is going to be maintained”
On that occasion, through a decree, President Piñera annulled the increase in the price of public transport.
“It is a figure that does not bring back very good memories: 30 pesos. That was our recommendation. Looking forward, nothing says that this is going to stabilize and the costs continue to rise”, acknowledged in conversation with T13 the president of the Panel of Experts and academic of the Catholic University, John Paul Montero.
“What was anticipated happened, that costs have continued to rise. All oil indices, inflation, have continued to rise, and that means rate hikes. These increases occur on a quarterly basis and it was time at this time to announce the possible increase, which is an accumulated figure for the last six months,” he explained.
Beyond the calculation made by the Panel of Experts, the government will be the one who will determine if there will be an increase in the value of public transport or notsince it might increase the subsidy that currently exists and that means that the price of the ticket has not changed in the last three years.
“Very possibly the government decides to keep the rate as it is. Our job is simply to communicate that costs have risen and it is time to increase system resources. The government can choose to raise prices or increase the subsidy,” Montero explained.
The work of the Panel of Experts is to ensure that public transport in our country is self-financing, so from that perspective the value of the ticket should increase, but the government must make the corresponding decisions.
Also check this video:
