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While agreeing with the transport ministry's decision not to issue new hackney carriage licences in the Corporate Area, president of the Transport Operators Development Sustainable Services (TODSS), Egerton Newman, is upset that a fare increase, which the organisation has been negotiating since last July, was not mentioned in Parliament on Tuesday.

Transport Minister Robert Montague outlined a raft of changes coming to the transportation sector, but a fare increase was not among them.

"We are mad right now. The entire 40,000 public passenger drivers are upset at the Government and the Opposition, because they did not mention anything about fare increase for the island traffic sector," said Newman.

He said that they are due a fare increase, and believes that neither the Government nor the Opposition are addressing the issue because they do not wish the rattle the nation.

He said, however, that taxi and bus operators are suffering and they are prepared to take the action further until their demands are met.

"We started the process last July and we have been having on-and-off conversation with the minister until three week ago, where he said that the request for the fare increase was sent to The University of the West Indies for research. We see this as stupidness, because why would you send a fare increase for research at The University of the West Indies?" he said.

Currently, Newman said TODSS is asking for a 100 per cent fare increase to offset some of the overhead costs that public passenger vehicle drivers are experiencing.

He said even if they get a 50 per cent increase, they would take it, but something needs to be done.

Newman noted that drivers have to contend with, among other things, increases in gas, insurance and tyre repairs.

"We had a fare increase six and a half years ago and we need one now, and we are going to decide what to do next because we cannot continue with the present fare pay. Our overhead cost has gone up 400 to 500 per cent and we are unable to have a simple fare increase to cushion that overhead cost," he said.

At a meeting yesterday, Newman said the association is attempting to speak with Montague before they decide on future action.