Bus operators assure nation of adequate festive season transport

Ivan Zhakata Herald Correspondent

BUS operators are confident there will be enough buses during the festive season and have urged people to board registered vehicles to avoid losing their valuables.

They said passengers should not resort to pirate taxis and mushikashika, that are frequently involved in fatal accidents.

Speaking at the launch of the festive season road safety awareness campaign in Harare, Zimbabwe Passenger Transporters Organisation (ZPTO) secretary-general Mr Wilfred Chibage said the legal and registered operators had more than the required number of buses and were ready to ferry people across the country.

“Our organisation controls a larger market of the passenger transport sector and this is due to the number of buses our members own which move the people of Zimbabwe daily. We have become a very important stakeholder in the fight against road carnage,” he said.

“We acknowledge and we are deeply concerned with the continuous loss of lives on our roads, especially when conventional buses are involved.

“We have conscientised our members to stick to the stipulated speed limits during this festive season and not to overload buses. They should also avoid deploying unroadworthy vehicles on the road.”

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said police officers would be heavily deployed on the highways and feeder roads.

“We urge motorists to be road safety conscious and cooperate with police officers, the Vehicle Inspection Department and the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe officials who will be deployed to conduct road safety campaigns. We will take action against errant drivers,” he said.

Police would ensure that all defective vehicles are impounded for the safety of travellers.

“We also discourage the public from boarding pirate taxis or mushikashika for their safety. This time around, we have agreed with the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe that no pirate taxis or mushikashika will pass through police checkpoints,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.

In a speech read on his behalf by his deputy Joshua Sacco, the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development Felix Mhona said there would be heavy police presence throughout the festive season.

Minister Mhona said reckless behaviour would not go unpunished adding: “As we roll out our festive season road safety awareness campaign, I note, with hope, that all traffic education and enforcement officers across spheres of Government, have committed themselves to aggressively tackle vehicle roadworthiness, pedestrian safety, safe public passenger transportation, zero tolerance to drunken driving and a total clamp down on speeding, among others.

“The Vehicle Inspection Department is hereby instructed to execute its mandate of checking and enforcing all aspects of vehicle fitness, with particular emphasis on passenger-carrying vehicles such as omnibuses and buses.”