[DR1] Increase in car fares hurts

[NewsWhore]

The recent increase in the price of a barrel of crude oil has unleashed a series of public transportation price hikes. These fare increases can reduce the salary of an average Joe by 25%. Since 2000, the fares for all modes of public transportation have increased by 40%, and, according to the Unified National Transport Center, (CNTU), this means that 25% of a minimum wage job goes on transportation. Meanwhile, a study prepared by the Technical Office for Ground Transport (OTTT), says that during the 2003-2004 period, fares were increased four times, amounting to RD$1.00, RD$2.00, RD$3.00 and RD$5.00 increases, due to petroleum price rises. During the same period, according to the OTTT report, 95% of "publicos", those ubiquitous little cars that run along fixed routes, switched over from gasoline to propane gas, which was kept at an artificially low RD$25.00 per gallon for political reasons. The CNTU release says that a gallon of diesel has increased more than 50% during the 2003-2005 period, and gasoline that used to cost as little as RD$32.00 has now reached well over RD$120.00 per gallon. Of course, all of the other articles involved in running a vehicle have also increased in price: batteries, tires and lubricants being the most obvious. An example is that a quart of motor oil that sold for between RD$70 and RD$90 last year, now costs RD$175.

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