Maritime Bus likely to get cheaper as fuel prices drop

The price of a Maritime Bus ticket will likely fall this month as the company adjusts for the drop in fuel costs.

Mike Cassidy, the president of Maritime Bus, said regulations in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick mean ticket prices can rise and fall with fuel costs.

“Many companies want to increase the price when prices go up, but they’re rather slow in dropping the prices when fuel oil drops,” he said Friday.

On Jan. 15, the provinces’ utility boards will announce the new percentage figure for the fuel surcharge. Cassidy says if it goes down from its current rate of 5.5 per cent as expected, the ticket price will likewise fall. 

“You’ll certainly see a significant drop January 15,” he said. “If prices keep dropping then you’re going to see the second quarter of 2015, perhaps there will be no fuel surcharge at all.”

But the price of diesel sits at about 13 cents more per litre compared to gas. That's tough for Lisa Poole, who runs Short Notice Movers. Her vehicles run on diesel. 

She introduced a $25 fuel surcharge in the summer and won't be taking it down soon.

"We don't charge for the travelling to the job, or anything like that, to keep the price low. I haven't seen enough of a change in the price of diesel to drop it yet," she said. 

Airliners WestJet and Air Canada said it's too early to decide on dropping their fuel surcharges.