Golden Arrow to absorb looming fuel price hikes, keep bus fares unchanged

War in the Middle East is set to drive a sharp increase in fuel prices, and public transport commuters will also be impacted. 

RELATED: Sharp fuel price increases likely in April as global oil uncertainty grows

Golden Arrow spokesperson Bronwen Dyke-Beyer confirmed that the operator will be absorbing the cost of the increase for now, aiming to keep fares as low as possible.

"We're seeing diesel going up more than R7 a litre. If you multiply that by 25 million litres a year, it's quite an intense addition to our bill… [But] we’re trying to keep our fares as low as possible for as long as we can.”

She explained that its depot still relies on diesel, despite having a growing fleet of electric vehicles.

With 120 electric buses in operation, Golden Arrow is saving around 70% on energy costs.

RELATED: Golden Arrow now has 77 fully electric busses operating (will have 120 by year-end)

“The upfront costs are much higher, but over the long term, that saving in energy is really quite significant.”

To listen to Dyke-Beyer in conversation with CapeTalk’s Lester Kiewit, use the audio player below: