Phase II BRT buses run on compressed natural gas
What you need to know:
- Buses in phase II will have a capacity to transport an average of 600,000 to 700,000 passengers per day.
Dodoma. Buses plying the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) phase II routes will run on compressed natural gas (CNG).
A Dar Rapid Transit (Dart) senior official said here that BRT phase II would be inaugurated in December this year. BRT phase II runs from the city centre to Mbagala in the southeast of Dar es Salaam, with Kilwa Road as the main artery.
Mr Mohamed Kuganda, Dart’s acting transport planning manager, told a workshop of journalists here that they are currently in the process of procuring buses equipped with CNG technology.
“We are planning to procure 700 buses for the BRT phase II routes,” he said, adding that Dart will start with 500 buses. He noted that it was too early to give details of the procurement process.
Furthermore, Mr Kuganda said in order to sustain its operations, Dart will construct its own CNG filling station at its Mbagala Depot, noting that currently they own diesel filling stations that provide services to buses operating at BRT phase I.
According to Mr Kuganda, buses in phase II will have a capacity to transport an average of 600,000 to 700,000 passengers per day.
He said BRT phase I, which is the pilot project, has been transporting an average of 200,000 passengers per day using its 210 buses. Phase I has a capacity of 305 buses.
For his part, Dart director of human resources and administration Eliphas Mollel said land has been acquired in Kigamboni to be used for the construction of a BRT driving college.
He said the move will enable Dart to produce its own certified drivers, generate income, and avoid unnecessary accidents that have been occurring in recent days.
“We have decided to construct our own BRT driving college that will enable us to produce certified drivers and meet standards of our preference,” he said.
Funds for establishing the college have already been requested from the government through the 2023/24 budget. Construction will start soon after the funds are approved.
According to him, upon completing the implementation of all six BRT phases, they are expecting to have 7,569 drivers for the anticipated 3,290 buses. BRT project is set to be extended to other cities, as well.
