And when it comes to how this increase in fares will affect the tens of thousands of daily commuters, the Minister says that it had to be done or the companies would fold:
Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Minister of Transport
"Well, you know, we have had this conversation for the past three or four weeks and the operators have told us that in discussions with their commuters, that their commuters understand that they're having a difficult time to the extent that they said that they would have to cease operations. So they have convinced us that in their discussions with commuters, that commuters understand that they have to have some inputs to address the increase in fuel prices."
Later on in the news we'll have more on the National Bus Company, and we'll ask Dr Zabaneh if he's doing it to fulfill a childhood dream.
