admin
The Zimbabwe Union of Drivers and Conductors (ZUDAC) wants the Harare City Council to allocate it spaces at the various ranks where its commuter omnibuses can operate from to enable it to meet its high operational standards.
ZUDAC president Shadreck Maguramhenga said at the moment they were operating at ranks where there are rogue rank marshals who dictate bus fares and clash with their inspectors.
“We must have our own spaces at ranks where only our buses operate, where there are no rank marshals so that we can manage our fares and our drivers’ behaviour,” he said.
He said having their own spaces at ranks will enable the association to deploy inspectors who will monitor the conduct of the kombi crews and the fares they charge.
The association is waiting for the Attorney General’s Office to finish drafting the regulations that will govern the operations of the various players and their relationship with the local authorities, he said.
“We are waiting for the regulations which will provide for allocation of ranking spaces, fares, customer service and other operational standards,” he said.
Maguramhenga said ZUDAC has created a platform for the commuting public to report any driver who violates the law and to report when they are ill -treated or overcharged so that disciplinary measures are taken.
“Each rank has an inspector on the ground who checks if the driver is the actual driver of the vehicle, if the driver is not drunk, and if he is drunk, the inspector will make sure that passengers do not board the vehicle,” he said.
“If the driver shows resistance and goes against the inspector’s orders and decides to violate our laws, we will record the vehicle fleet number which will enable us to identify the operator and we contact them so that they deal with their driver.”
He urged the public to contact the organisation whenever they are mistreated by kombi crews under the ZUDAC banner like when they are overcharged or the driver is driving recklessly, so as to save lives and reduce road carnage.
Many reports have been made about the unruly behaviour of some of the ZUDAC drivers who allegedly endanger the lives of passengers through reckless driving as well as being under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
Some of the crews behave like illegal operators who are notorious for being unruly, overcharging and discourteous to passengers.
The government in May last year lifted the ban on commuter omnibuses which it effected when it imposed the first Covid-19 induced nationwide lockdown in March 2021 and is working on legislation which will govern their operations.
Commuter operators were urged to form associations for the players to operate professionally as the country moves to restore sanity in the sector which is characterized by lawlessness and overcharging. — New Ziana
Online Reporter