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Taxi drivers absorb petrol price increase
View(s):By Mirudhula Thambiah
The majority of owners of three-wheelers and taxis say they will not pass on to their customers the extra Rs. 10 they are now paying for a litre of petrol. While most drivers continue to charge the standard Rs. 32 per kilometer, some are charging Rs.35, Rs. 38 and Rs.40.
On December 14, State-owned petroleum supplier Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) raised the price of a litre of 90-Octane petrol by Rs. 10, and a day later private oil supplier Lanka IOC raised its price for 90-Octane petrol by Rs.10. A litre of Lanka IOC petrol is now Rs. 159.
Three wheeler drivers say they won’t pass on the extra Rs. 10 for a litre of petrol on to their customers. Pix by Mangala Weerasekera
Individual three-wheeler meter taxis and meter taxi services charge between Rs. 32 and Rs. 40 per km; Nano taxis between Rs. 40 and Rs. 45, and cars and vans between Rs. 60 and Rs.65.
Gampaha three-wheeler owner A. D. Ruwan said hires have dropped after petrol prices went up. Ruwan, who has not increased his rate, charges Rs. 38 per km. He needs four litres of petrol a day. This comes to Rs. 600. He earns Rs. 1,500 a day, and after paying for petrol, he is left with Rs.900 for his daily expenses. But with the petrol price increase, four litres of petrol cost Rs.650. His daily wage has come down to Rs.1,000, and at the end of the day he is left with a measly Rs. 350.
Dematagoda three-wheeler driver T. Muthukumar has raised his fares by Rs. 2 and now charges Rs.40 per km. “My daily earnings have come down to Rs. 1,500,” he said. “I average 15 hires a day. As things are, I cannot buy the school books and stationery my children need.”
Hulftsdorp three-wheeler driver K. P Lal charges Rs. 40 per km. He says he will not increase the fare. “People say three-wheeler rates are high and they are not using our transport as much as they did in the past. Also, there are lots of three-wheelers on the road. Competition is very intense,” he said.
Meethottamulla three-wheeler driver Sarath Chandrakumara said the State should set a fixed price for all meter taxis. “Some drivers are charging a lot. Their meters should be checked and a standard fare be fixed.”
 A.D. Ruwan |
 K.P. Lal |
 Sarath Chandrakumara |
Commuter S. Lakshmi of Mattakuliya takes a three-wheeler or a Nano taxi when she is late to work. But after the fuel price increase, she takes a bus instead and leaves home extra early.
Asela Bandara from Dehiwala travels by meter taxi. “Fares have gone up by Rs.2 to Rs. 6, but I don’t see this as a big extra expense.”
All-Island Three Wheeler Drivers’ Union secretary T. R. R. Pallie said members would not increase fares. “The Government should be giving us concession rates. The fixed amount should be Rs. 32 per km. All our members charge Rs. 32.”
Budget Taxi services and Kangaroo Cab services will not be raising their rates.
Minister of Transport Kumara Welgama told the Sunday Times that he had a discussion with the Commissioner General of Motor Traffic, S. H. Harischandra about making rates fair for both the taxi driver and the commuter.
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