As the city council prepares to raise bus fares, there is heated disagreement about the amount

The cost to ride municipal buses is headed higher but bus companies and citizen groups disagree on the new amount. A University of Cuenca study is recommending a fare of 40 cents but says the city should provide a four-cent subsidy to boost payment to owners.

City bus fare is headed higher. The question is by how much.

Currently, passengers pay 30 cents per ride with the city providing an additional four-cent subsidy.

Bus owners claim a 40-cent fare, even with a four-cent subsidy, is too low. “We need at least 49 or 50 cents to maintain our service,” says Diego Idrovo, president of the Cuenca Chamber of Transport, which represents bus companies. “Many carriers are operating at a loss today since fares have not increased in more than seven years.”

Idrovo claims that operational costs have risen by more than 50% since 2018, the last time fares were adjusted. “Our fuel costs have increased 75% as have many of the parts we need for repairs,” he says, adding that labor costs have risen 30%.
He also criticized the UCuenca study for “being out of date.” “Most of their data was collected in 2022 and early 2023, and costs have gone up since then,” Idrovo said.

The Federation of Cuenca Neighborhoods, on the other hand, is claiming that the 40-cent fare is too high. Graciela Estrella, federation president, says the higher fare will place an “unacceptable burden” on poor people. She also says that bus service should improve before the city decides on a new fare.

“Bus service to outlying neighborhoods has deteriorated over the past five years and, despite complaints, the companies have done nothing to improve it,” Estrella says. “People living in rural areas such as Sayausí, Despacho, Santa Rosa, Octavio Cordero and Corpanche cannot rely on a schedule since many stops are cancelled without notice.”

Estrella also questions the numbers bus owners provided to the UCuenca study and to the city transportation office. “Their motive is profit and there should be detailed review of their claims,” she says.

Although tranvía fare is not part of the current discussion, three members of the municipal council say it will be increased with bus fare. They recommend 10 cents above bus fare.

The municipal council is expected to vote the new bus fare in late May or June.