By Waryoba Yankami
Association of commuter buses in Dar es Salaam
wants the government to upgrade feeder roads to accommodate their buses
or for the government to buy the buses arguing that they will not be
able to operate on the rough terrain.
The completion of the Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit (DART) phase one will bring in about 263 rapid buses along Morogoro Road which will sweep out hundreds of commuter buses that currently run the route.
145 Rapid buses will be trunk buses which will operate in the main rapid road while 118 feeder buses will operate on feeder roads to bring passengers to the main road along the said route.
Speaking during the meeting which brought together DART and commuter owners yesterday in Dar es Salaam, UWADAR Chairman William Masanja said, if not reviewed, then, the project will totally sweep them out of business because the feeder roads are so bad that their vehicles will be damaged and the resultant maintenance cost will be too high to bear.
If they don’t fix the roads, UWADAR, would have the government buy their vehicles because operating on the feeder roads will only mean working at a loss for them so better they get compensated through government purchase of their vehicles.
In his opening remarks, Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner, Said Meck Sadick remained the attendants that the DART project will reduce traffic jams and car congestions in the city significantly.
That said, Sadick made it clear that the government has no plan, policy or programme to take part in running the DART buses, meaning it will not purchase the commuter buses, however it will facilitate operations by fixing infrastructure and building a conducive business environment for the operators.
He however did specify whether ‘fixing infrastructure’ includes the feeder roads as UWADAR requested and if it does, no details were offered.
The completion of the Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit (DART) phase one will bring in about 263 rapid buses along Morogoro Road which will sweep out hundreds of commuter buses that currently run the route.
145 Rapid buses will be trunk buses which will operate in the main rapid road while 118 feeder buses will operate on feeder roads to bring passengers to the main road along the said route.
Speaking during the meeting which brought together DART and commuter owners yesterday in Dar es Salaam, UWADAR Chairman William Masanja said, if not reviewed, then, the project will totally sweep them out of business because the feeder roads are so bad that their vehicles will be damaged and the resultant maintenance cost will be too high to bear.
If they don’t fix the roads, UWADAR, would have the government buy their vehicles because operating on the feeder roads will only mean working at a loss for them so better they get compensated through government purchase of their vehicles.
In his opening remarks, Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner, Said Meck Sadick remained the attendants that the DART project will reduce traffic jams and car congestions in the city significantly.
That said, Sadick made it clear that the government has no plan, policy or programme to take part in running the DART buses, meaning it will not purchase the commuter buses, however it will facilitate operations by fixing infrastructure and building a conducive business environment for the operators.
He however did specify whether ‘fixing infrastructure’ includes the feeder roads as UWADAR requested and if it does, no details were offered.
SOURCE:
THE GUARDIAN
