ICCC TO ENFORCE TOUGH MEASURES FOR OVERCHARGING OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT FARES

PICTURE CAPTION: ICCC Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Roy Daggy

BY LETHISA KOLOKOL
FOLLOWING the recently gazetted Prices Regulation Act 2025, the Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC) will be enforcing tough measures on Private Motor Vehicles (PMV) and Taxi operators that overcharge passengers.

Earlier this month, the ICCC released the final report of PMVs and Taxi fares, announcing that fares will be implemented in phases over the first three years (2026-2028) of a five-year regulatory period.

ICCC Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Roy Daggy told media, in a press conference yesterday that maximum urban PMV fares for NCD and Lae is K1.60 and K1.50 respectively and those PMVs overcharging their passengers will face severe penalties.

Taxi operators are to charge K4.50 for flag fall per trip and K5.90 for distance charge per kilometre.

“The PMV fares will increase by 20% in 2026, 2027 and 2028 respectively and the taxi fares will increase by 16% in 2026, 14% in 2027 and 10% in 2028” Mr Daggy said.

These prices reflect economic realities and are subject change depending on the fuel prices and underlying Consumer Price Index.

Mr Daggy said the ICCC will collaborate with the Road Traffic Authority (RTA), Police Traffic and Provincial Land Transport authorities to take a strong stance on non-compliance behaviour, urging PMV and taxi operators to take note of the new prices.

He explained that this year, there are no spot fines, those operators that are non-compliant are subject to prosecution, with the K10,000 for summary offence and K30,000 for indictments.

“We are aware that for various reasons including the lack of awareness, PMVs are still charging K1, but the ICCC will be working closely with the enforcement authorities, including the Lae City Authority and NCD City authority to ensure more awareness is being carried out” he said.

Meanwhile, under the concessions of the National Gazette No.G.21 of 9th January 2026, students from elementary to grade 10 are to pay 25% of the maximum fare, grade 11 to grade 12 are to pay 50% and adults are to pay 100%.