The City of St. John’s is calling for the provincial government to step in and help their public transit system with the rising cost of fuel.
The city says the cost of diesel is having an impact on the budget for Metrobus, with the current price of fuel at a full dollar per litre above the 2022 budget price. They predict this to lead to an overage of around $1.4 million.
Council says they are not considering a fare increase or significant service cuts that would affect ridership.
They are requesting that the provincial government apply for federal funding announced to address COVID-induced transit operating revenue shortfalls. Just over $4,000,000 is allocated for Newfoundland and Labrador.
(File photo)
Mayor Danny Breen says they have been speaking to government officials about the issue.
He says they’ve emphasized to the province that the program is there and that it would make a “huge difference” to the transit system.
