East Japan Railway Co. (JR East) will reexamine its fare structure to raise fare during rush hours as the coronavirus affects how people use trains, President Yuji Fukasawa said at a regular press conference on Tuesday.
To help supplement fallen revenue, JR East plans to have a fare system where rates change depending on demand -- fares would rise, for example, during times when trains are usually crowded. The company also hopes the changes will alleviate congestion during certain times of the day.
"The effects of the virus will be prolonged and may become fixed," Fukasawa said. "We hope to stagger peak [congestion] times on the trains by having a more flexible fare system."
If fares change depending on the time, there could be higher rates during morning rush hour and lower rates during times when there are fewer passengers. Details such as the duration of the flexible rate schedule and the way it is implemented will be determined in the near future, Fukasawa said.
The president said train schedules are also being revisited.
In the past, JR East has decided on the number of trains, and how many staff are needed at each station, depending on how crowded the trains are. However, many people are now working on varied schedules to avoid crowded trains. Fukasawa said they hope to keep costs down by changing the schedules.
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