Highlights

• Nepal Yatayat Byabasayi Rastriya Mahasangh has urged the government to adjust public transport fares under the existing automatic pricing mechanism.
• Nepal Oil Corporation reduced petrol prices by Rs 20 per litre and diesel/kerosene prices by Rs 30 per litre.
• The revised fuel prices came into effect from Wednesday morning.
• Federation President Punya Prasad Sitoula said fare revisions should be transparent, scientific and timely.
• The organization argues that both passengers and transport operators benefit from a predictable fare adjustment system.
• The federation also stressed that operating costs extend well beyond fuel expenses.

Transport operators push for automatic fare adjustment

The Nepal Yatayat Byabasayi Rastriya Mahasangh has called on the government to revise public transportation fares after the latest reduction in fuel prices by Nepal Oil Corporation. The request follows the country's existing automatic adjustment framework, which is intended to align passenger fares with changes in petroleum prices.

The appeal arrived shortly after the state-owned fuel supplier announced lower retail prices, renewing debate over how quickly transport fares should respond when operating costs change. The timing is particularly significant given recent market conditions, where fuel prices have remained one of the biggest variables affecting transport businesses.

Fuel prices fall from Wednesday

Nepal Oil Corporation announced that the revised prices took effect from Wednesday morning.

Fuel	Price Change	Effective From
Petrol	Reduced by Rs 20 per litre	Wednesday morning
Diesel/Kerosene	Reduced by Rs 30 per litre	Wednesday morning

With fuel becoming less expensive, transport operators say the same automatic formula used during price increases should also be applied when costs decline. They argue that consistency is essential to maintaining confidence in the fare adjustment system.

Federation calls for a transparent and scientific system

Federation President Punya Prasad Sitoula said public transport fares should be adjusted on a transparent, scientific and objective basis whenever petroleum prices fluctuate.

According to Sitoula, fare increases are typically implemented when fuel becomes more expensive, but reductions often take longer to materialize after prices fall. He believes this uneven approach creates unnecessary uncertainty for both passengers and transport operators.

• Timely implementation of automatic fare adjustments.
• Transparent calculations that are easy for the public to understand.
• Equal treatment during both fuel price increases and decreases.

What makes this development noteworthy is not its scale, but its timing. It again raises questions about how consistently Nepal's transport pricing framework is being applied.

Fuel is only one part of transport costs

While fuel prices remain a major factor in operating expenses, the federation emphasized that they should not be the only consideration when determining passenger fares.

Operating Cost	Included In Fare Assessment
Fuel prices	Yes
Vehicle maintenance	Yes
Insurance	Yes
Employee wages	Yes
Spare parts	Yes
Banking costs	Yes
Overall economic indicators	Yes

Sitoula said a comprehensive and scientific assessment should include maintenance costs, insurance, workers' wages, spare parts prices, banking expenses and broader economic indicators alongside fuel costs.

The real challenge is not simply lower fuel prices, it is ensuring that every component influencing transport operations is evaluated fairly within a predictable regulatory framework.

What happens next

The federation's request now places attention on whether the government will activate the automatic fare adjustment mechanism following the latest fuel price reduction.

For consumers, the change could be substantial if authorities approve revised fares in line with the existing formula. At the same time, transport businesses maintain that any long-term fare policy should continue to reflect the full cost of operating public vehicles rather than relying solely on fluctuations in petroleum prices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why are transport operators asking for a fare adjustment?
A: The federation says public transport fares should be revised under the automatic adjustment system after Nepal Oil Corporation reduced fuel prices.

Q: How much were fuel prices reduced?
A: Petrol prices were reduced by Rs 20 per litre, while diesel and kerosene prices fell by Rs 30 per litre.

Q: When did the new fuel prices take effect?
A: The revised fuel prices became effective from Wednesday morning.

Q: Does fuel determine transport fares on its own?
A: No. The federation says fare calculations should also consider maintenance, insurance, labour costs, spare parts, banking expenses and broader economic indicators.

Q: Has the government announced a new fare yet?
A: The federation has requested a fare adjustment, but the article does not state that the government has approved or announced revised fares.