Due to the recent surge in diesel prices, goods transporters have decided to increase their fares by 20%. In just 15 days, the cost of diesel has gone up to Rs40 per litre, leading to a significant impact on transporters’ expenses.
The general secretary of the goods transporters association, Rana Shoaib, stated that the rise in diesel prices has burdened them with additional costs. Despite providing transportation services from Karachi to Multan, Lahore, Faisalabad, Islamabad, and Peshawar, transporters are unable to bear the financial strain caused by fuel and spare parts.
Shoaib emphasized that the fare hikes were unavoidable due to the substantial fuel price increases implemented by the government. This situation has led to local transporters unilaterally increasing fares by up to 20% without any intervention from the authorities.
Transporters have raised fares by Rs15 to Rs20 for stop-to-stop routes, disregarding the fact that the district administration has not officially approved any fare increases. Furthermore, even buses and coaches operating within the city have raised their fares.
Overall, these fare increases are a direct response to the continuous surge in diesel prices, which have placed a heavy financial burden on goods transporters. Although this decision may affect consumers, it is an unfortunate necessity for transporters to sustain their operations effectively.