Passengers along the Narere and Navosai route can expect new buses operating that route as Tui Narere Transport, a sister company of Raiwaqa Buses Limited will soon be introducing seven new buses to add on to its fleet of 30 buses.
While figures on this new investment are yet to be revealed, operations manager, Izran Ali, said the new fleet would be locally built along with bus parts from one of Fiji’s largest automotive companies.
The bus company would also be installing CCTV cameras to help the company track its daily income generated from the use of e-transport cards.
Mr. Ali said the bus company is investing about $4,000 for the installation of these cameras. He added that it was an investment triggered by the loss of income when passengers use cash instead of e-transport cards when they board their buses.
He said when passengers give cash to the bus drivers, that money does not go to the bus company but rather bus drivers keep it and take it home.
“This is apart from their fortnightly wages which the company would pay these drivers,” he said.
“Passengers should also think of bus companies because every time they use cash when boarding the bus, it reduces our income and if that continues, we won’t be able to provide better services because we cannot get new buses,” he said.
According to Mr. Ali, a bus driver can collect about $100 per day when passengers give cash.
“If this continues, the bus company may go bankrupt.”
He said Tui Narere Transport currently has 25 bus drivers.
Cunningham Route
Passengers along the Cunningham route will see more Raiwaqa buses operating along that area as the bus company has now taken over Citiline Bus Service Ltd.
Mr. Ali said this arrangement with the Citiline Bus Service Limited has been ongoing and its buses will remain operational until further arrangements are made.
He claims that some of the Citiline bus drivers have not been truthful to the company’s daily income which resulted in some financial issues with the company.
