The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
Edward Qorro
24 August 2009
Buses carrying over 25 passengers are currently being introduced in Dar es Salaam as part of efforts to reduce congestion and improve public transport.
At the same time, the ubiquitous 14-seater minibuses are being phased out. The Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (Sumatra) has already banned minibuses, popularly known as vipanyas, from operating in the city centre.
Many commuters agree that the introduction of bigger buses has to some extent helped ease transport problems in the bustling city of about 4 million people.
"There is a slight improvement in public transport services, particularly in the city centre, although the bigger buses are a bit slow," says Alfred Riwa, a resident of Tabata Segerea.
However, a recent survey carried out by The Citizen has established that many of the buses carrying not less than passengers that are being licenced to operate in the city and its environs are ancient jalopies that were mothballed for many years before their owners revived them to take advantage of Sumatra's directive.
Many of the vehicles are in a state of severe disrepair, and thus not fit to operate in urban areas.
"These old ramshackle buses are an eyesore in our otherwise beautiful city. They must not be allowed to become the face of the city," says Vincent Kimaro of Tegeta. He adds that while the move to introduce bigger buses was welcome, the authorities must inspect the vehicles before licencing them.
Some daladala operators and commuters say it is absurd for Sumatra to ban vipanyas only to licence dilapidated buses that endanger the lives of those riding in them and other road uses, in addition to making the city "ugly".
"People board these vehicles because they have no choice almost all big buses operating in the city centre were supposed to be consigned to the scrap heap a long time ago.
These buses should not be allowed anywhere near the city centre,"says Mikocheni resident Jacob Winani, adding that he's surprised that dilapidated buses operate even in the city's affluent areas.
It's now quite common to see "new" commuter buses belching thick clouds of pungent smoke and producing funny noises in their engines as they chug along city roads. This explains why many frequently break down, blocking roads and hampering traffic flow.
"These old buses frequently break down with passengers on board. This is not surprising given that most of them, if not all, are poorly maintained," says Cosmas Chingandilo, a bus driver operating on the Mwenge-Posta route.
He says most of the vehicles were pulled out of long-distance service after they wore out. "Their owners, who had abandoned the buses, revived them after Sumatra decided to phase out the smaller buses.
The intention of these owners is not to provide quality public transport service, but to make quick money they're making hay while the sun shines," he adds.
Traffic police commander James Kombe says police regularly inspect public service vehicles to make sure that they are roadworthy and fit to carry people.If a bus does not meet the minimum safety requirements, it is taken off the road immediately, he adds.
"We are alert at all times to ensure the safety of commuters by inspecting all public service vehicles," Kombe says.
Sumatra says it licences buses only after verifying their seating capacity and checking their inspection certificates.
"We don't licence buses that do not have roadworthiness certificates. Owners must produce these certificates before their buses are licenced to operate on various routes in the city.
If it's true that there are commuter buses out there that are not roadworthy, we are not to blame it is those who issued inspection and roadworthiness reports who should be asked questions," said a Sumatra official, who did not want to be named because he is not a spokesman of the agency.
Participants in a recent training workshop on cleaner energy observed that the licencing of old public service vehicles was worsening air pollution worse in the city.
The old vehicles, according to Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit (Dart) chief executive officer Cosmas Takule, contribute to pollution because the obsolete technology used in their manufacture means that they do not have low carbon emission engines.
Takule says the combination of cleaner fuels and low emission engines could rid the city of high levels of carbon in the atmosphere.
He points out that concerted efforts are required to rid the city of endless traffic congestion and encourage the use of vehicles powered by cleaner fuels.
He says the continued use of diesel with a high concentration of sulphur -up to 5000ppm - was unacceptable, and advises that motorists switch to diesel with less than 50ppm sulphur to minimise environmental pollution.
Dart is in the final stages of commissioning infrastructural development for it project entailing the introduction of bigger and faster and fuel efficient commuter buses.
Takule says the number of private cars on the roads will also decrease dramatically once an efficient public transport system is put in place.
The Dart vision is to have a modern public transport system that will bring about a win-win situation for commuters and operators alike. It will use high capacity and environmentally friendly buses operating on exclusive lanes.
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