Drivers protests as transport fee cap reduced for students in Ranya

RANYA — Transport vehicle owners have expressed dissatisfaction at a decision by the Ranya Transportation Directorate to reduce caps on monthly student transport fees from 30,000 to 25,000 IQD ($20 to $17), staging a protest in front of the Ranya district administration office.

“We are incurring losses and cannot operate at such low rates,” said Bakhtiar Qadir, a participant in the protest, during an interview with 964media.

Qadir added, “The decision to reduce fees from 30,000 to 25,000 IQD significantly impacts us. Our expenses are high, and we gain no profit under these conditions.”

Approximately 150 drivers serve the district, transporting students to universities and institutions. Under the new directive, all students are charged 25,000 IQD  ($17) per month.

Many of these students travel regularly, typically on a weekly basis, from their universities or institutions back to their homes.

“With fuel prices and vehicle maintenance costs, we cannot sustain operations at these rates,” Qadir said. “Unless this decision is reversed, none of us will continue providing transport services to students.”

Karzan Sleman, head of the Joint Committees in the Ranya District Administration, explained the reasoning behind the fee adjustment. “After consultations, the Ranya Transportation Directorate  determined that monthly fees for student transport should be 25,000 IQD,” he told 964media, adding that the drivers usually operate only on Fridays and Saturdays, twice a week.