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Business Reporter
PUBLIC passenger transporter Zupco has acquired 50 buses from China as the company completes its three-year strategic plan, managing director Mr Brian Chawasarira has said. The latest delivery took the number of buses acquired by the State-owned company to 101 this year, while bringing its fleet to a total of 304 passenger coaches.
“We will be focusing on the second phase of our strategic plan which will take us to about 600 buses by 2016. Zupco began rebuilding its fleet in 2010 at a rate of 100 buses per year. Most of the buses are plying urban-rural and inter-city routes. Most of the buses delivered under the current batch will be plying intra-city routes, mostly in Harare,” said Mr Chawasarira.
“It has been very positive (the recapitalisation) as reflected by our ability to make profits,” said Mr Chawasarira.
Meanwhile, plans by the company to launch a new cargo division are on course with the new strategic business unit expected to commence operations before end of the year. Mr Chawasarira said Zupco would initially start with four trucks this year. The division would mainly provide service to farmers bring their produce to urban markets.
“If all goes well, we are hoping to expand the business next year for a broader presence countrywide.”
Zupco used to be the most reliable public transport operator before the turn of the new millennium, boasting a fleet of more than 800 buses. Some analysts have blamed challenges facing the company on poor management while some believe the entry of private commuter omnibus operators into the public transport sector affected the company’s viability.
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