CHILDREN aged five years and below do not pay bus fares, says Land Transport Authority spokesman Alfred Wiliame.
His comment follows concerns raised by a group of parents in Savusavu that their children attending kindergarten have had to pay bus fare.
A parent, Rosina Maria, said a bus company in Savusavu had started charging fare on kindergarten students as of last Monday.
"My daughter attends a kindy in Nukubalavu Rd and it's about two kilometres from where we live. So when my daughter got on the bus, I was also told to pay her fare of 35 cents."
"The bus also has a notice on the windscreen that according to LTA regulation, children will start paying fare from now on. The notice doesn't specify the age category but just says 'children', which is quite unfair," Ms Maria said.
Other parents contacted The Fiji Times to express disappointment over the bus company's decision.
Mr Wiliame said children at the age of five were not to pay bus fare except those above five who had to pay half the adult fare.
"They don't pay bus fares because they will be accompanied by parents or an adult and they sit on the laps of adults," Mr Wiliame said. "The drivers will not look after the children because they have their own responsibilities and the safety of passengers on board."
He said LTA had not received any complaint over the issue but would look into the matter.
An official of the company yesterday said the management team was away and would only make comments today.
Fiji Bus Operators Association president Richard Lal could not be reached for comment.