Tanzania Government seeks new rapid bus operator

Desperate passengers wait for rapid buses at Kimara Mwisho terminal in this photo taken in April 2019. Government announced it was seeking a new bus operator to supply, operate and maintain buses for Dar Rapid Transit system. photo | file

What you need to know:

Dar Rapid Transit Agency has floated a tender for the supply, operation and maintenance of buses for the Dar Rapid Transit (Dart) system.

Dar es Salaam. The government is processing procurement of a 12-year concession bus operator that will supply, operate and maintain buses for the Dar Rapid Transit (Dart) system.

The scheme includes five terminals, 27 stations, four feeder stations, three connecter stations, three pedestrian bridges, one depot and 21 kilometers of busways.

Dar Rapid Transit Agency, chief Executive officer, Mr Ronald Lwakatare said in a statement that the tender was for procurement of a service provider for supply, operation and maintenance of buses for the Dart system.

“Successful applicants should have the financial prerequisies and an established track record in relevant operations as to enable them provide the required services,” he said.

He said qualified applicants for the supply, operation and maintenance of buses equipped with validators and drivers consoles should also be in line with quantities and specifications to be provided by Dart indicatively up to 177 18 meter buses for trunl operations and up to 128 12 meter buses for feeder operations and the provision of bus services for a period of 12 years.

Dart Public Relations Manager, William Gatambi told The Citizen that the government would be entering a public private partnership with the service provider.

“The government would provide infrastructure while the service provider would provide service,” he said.

He said the decision to seek a service provider did not necessarily mean that the Dar es Salaam Bus Rapid Transit (Udart) would end service. “Udart was a short time provider but they could still work with the new operator to provide the service,” he said.