Travel cost falls 7.9pc since May in Pakistan

Travel expenses in Pakistan have declined by 7.9% since May, according to a new index. The Mobility Index, launched by Pakistan & Counting in collaboration with ride-sharing platform BusCaro, assesses per-kilometre costs across eight transportation modes: cycling, private rickshaws, private cars, public transport, ride-share services, and various forms of hailing.

The index plummeted from a value of 100 in May to 92.1 in September. For the typical vehicle on the road, a kilometer now costs Rs9.65, down from Rs10.48 in May. This decrease is primarily attributed to cheaper fuel, which averaged Rs374.61 per litre in September, 7.5% lower than May's average of Rs405.19. The energy price surge, triggered by the Middle East conflict, and subsequent supply chain interruptions have contributed to this trend.

For a Honda CD70 rider, fuel costs for a kilometer dropped from Rs7.37 in May to Rs6.81 in September. Private car travel costs were also reduced to Rs24.78 per km, from Rs26.80, and the fare for a private rickshaw fell from Rs12.66 to Rs11.71 per km. Public transport fares remained unchanged, although no fares were collected on early April to June 12 BRT services.