Dominion Transport Company’s Director, Satya Nadan says his company had to stop operation after 56 years because they ran out of money and could no longer pay the staff wages or afford fuel to run the buses.
Dominion Transport Limited stopped servicing its routes between Sigatoka and Nadi on Thursday.
Nadan says he did not want to stop serving the communities that his family had been serving since 1964 but they have 34 employees and over 100 family members who rely on them.
He adds his workers have mortgages to pay and 30 buses parked not earning money makes no sense.
He claimed that their problem is affecting every bus operator in the country and unless some urgent action is taken to address these issues than the entire bus industry in Fiji could collapse.
He says he does not agree with the LTA which says that the running and financing of their business is a matter wholly within their direct control.
Nadan says he does not control ‘compliance’ or the decisions the LTA and authorities make that directly impacts their business which reduces their income and affects their ability to operate properly.
He says the last bus fare increase was 11 years ago and two years ago they lodged for a new fare increase and they are yet to get a response from the people in charge.
The Director also says that 80% of their routes are gravel roads, so the maintenance cost is high.
Nadan says he was was encouraged by government to invest in new buses so he bought 10 buses at a cost of $2.5 million which they have to pay for but at a 70% reduced income.
He says his income was affected because LTA has issued 20 Rural Service Licences to operators in the area.
He adds those with Rural Service Licences do not have to keep a timetable, and pick up customers who normally catch the bus and charge any fare on a cash basis.
Nadan adds that he has had to borrow from friends and family just to try and pay for fuel and wages and stay in operation, and despite his best effort they finally had to ground to a halt when they ran out of money.
LTA CEO Samuel Simpson says Dominion Transport Limited has stopped providing services without a proper reason being given and they have written to and warned the bus company to operate according to it’s registered particulars.
Simpson has refuted claims that they instructed the bus company to cease operations.
