Guayaquil raises urban bus fare to up to 50 cents

The Guayaquil City Council approved an ordinance to end a decade‑long freeze on the municipal bus fare, raising the price from 30 centavos to between 45 and 50 centavos by the end of 2026. The change is tied to service‑quality requirements, including air‑conditioned vehicles, Wi‑Fi and other technological upgrades monitored by the Agencia de Tránsito y Movilidad (ATM).

The first line expected to implement the new 50‑cent fare is route 89, operated by the cooperative Saucinc, pending completion of its integration with the ITOR monitoring platform and official publication of the ordinance. While council members cited the need to ensure operators earn a fair wage – “Nadie quiere trabajar a pérdida” – many commuters expressed distrust, fearing higher costs without guaranteed service improvements.