BEGINNING TODAY, commuters will start paying increased fares to travel on public passenger vehicles.

The 20 per cent fare hike will apply to users of hackney carriages, rural stage carriages and route taxis.

Transport and Works Minister Mike Henry announced the increase on December 29 last year.

Travel on hackney carriages or in chartered taxis will now attract a base rate of $187.50 and a rate of $37.59 per kilometre.

Commuters travelling by route taxis will pay a base rate of $66 per kilometre, or $3.60 per kilometre.

Meanwhile, for rural stage carriages, a minimum rate of $26.40 will be charged and a per-kilometre rate of $3.40.

increased a year ago

The last fare increase was implemented in June 2008, resulting in a 25 per cent jump in travel costs.

The Transport Authority is advising that it will be monitoring the implementation of the fare increase.

In the meantime, the authority urges commuters to report incidents of overcharging by calling its toll-free line at 1-888-991-5687.