Failure to decide on the rapid bus fares slows down project

Dar es Salaam. Government is working closely with stakeholders to conclude realistic bus fares for the stalled Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit (Dart) project.

Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa told The Citizen: “Over the last three weeks I have chaired several meetings with the Dart interim service provider, Usafiri Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit (Uda-RT) and other stakeholders.”

Uda-RT early this year had proposed a maximum return fare of Sh2, 800 to and from the farthest DART bus terminal to Kivukoni in the city centre. The service provider proposed that commuters should part with Sh1, 200 for the Kimara-Kivukoni route, Sh700 between Mbezi and Kimara, and Sh1, 400 from feeder routes to the trunk road.

The operator suggested that students should pay half the amount on all routes. The project covers a length of 21 kilometres on three trunk routes with a total of 29 stations. Ten feeder routes will connect to residential areas while a total of 148 buses with the capacity of 40 passengers each will be deployed.

The company argues that in order for the project to operate viably, these proposed fares were the minimum amount passengers would pay

On the contrary city residents who were invited to air their views, complained that the fares are too high. The Premier, directed relevant ministries to meet and set new fares, “the project is intended to serve ordinary Tanzanians and the proposed fares defeat the aim of the project,” he said.

Chairman of Simon Group, that owns Usafiri Dar es Salaam (Uda), Mr Robert Kisena, declined to comment and directed the reporter to seek information from the government. Failure to agree on the minimum bus fare is holding up the implementation of the project that will relieve commuters from public transport woes in city.

Mr Majaliwa ordered for the project to kick off in January. This failed as sections of the Dart infrastructure were not complete.