Commuters must pay
as they enter buses
PHILIPSBURG--Along with paying more in accordance with the new bus fare structure, commuters will also have to pay as they enter buses, before being transported to their destinations.
In a brief press release Friday, Transportation Commissioner Louie Laveist said it is now a requirement that commuters pay when entering a bus.
The Commissioner also said senior citizens, age 65 and older (persons born on or before 1942), who wish to travel for free, will be required to show some form of identification on entering a bus. Children from 0-3 years old will also travel free under the new fare structure.
The new structure, which went into effect on Thursday, specifies the fares commuters have to pay during the day - “regular fares” from 5:00am to 11:59pm - and night fares (midnight to 5:00am). Specific fares are also mentioned for adults and children.
According to the new rate sheet, adult commuters travelling from Philipsburg to Marigot; Philipsburg to Mulley Bay; Philipsburg to French Quarter and Philipsburg to Pointe Blanche (including to the Prison) will have to pay US $2 during the day and up until midnight. This is a $ .50 increase over the existing regular fares. Minors will have to pay US $1.
With the exception of the Philipsburg to Point Blanche route, adult commuters travelling the several routes between midnight and 5:00am will pay US $3.50, while children will pay US $1.75. The night fare for Philipsburg to Point Blanche is US $3 for adults and US $1.50 for children.
The regular fare for “short stops” from Philipsburg to the junction at Senna Drive and Bush Road; Philipsburg to A.Th. Illidge Road (in the vicinity of the Bowling Alley/Amsterdam Shopping Center); Philipsburg to Welfare Road and the Simpson Bay Bridge and Philipsburg to the junction at Welfare, AJC Brouwer and Union Roads will be between US $1 and US $1.50 for adults and between US $.50 and US $.75 for children during the day. Travelling these same routes at nights will be between US $2 and US $2.50 for adults and US $1.25 and US $1.75 for children.
The regular fare for adult commuters travelling from Philipsburg to St. Peters/L.B. Scot Road; Philipsburg to Dutch Quarter and Philipsburg to Belvedere/Sucker Garden/ Middle Region/Defiance and the intersection at Welfare, A.J.C. Brouwer and Union Roads and up to the Simpson Bay Bridge will be US $1.50 for adults and US $.75 for children. At nights, adults will pay US $2.50 and children US $1.25 to travel these same routes.
The regular fare for the hospital routes from Great Bay/Fort Willem Hill to St. Maarten Medical Center will be US $1 for adults and US $.50 for children, while the night fare for adults will be US $2 for adults and US $1 for children.
