Zupco seeks parking, loading areas

Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
THE Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) yesterday said it was working with local authorities to get parking and loading bays for its buses plying urban routes.

Last month Zupco, in partnership with private players, introduced buses to ply urban routes to cushion commuters from unjustified fare hikes by kombi crews.

The Zupco buses charging $1 per trip forced kombis to drop their fares from to $2 to $1 as the commuting public preferred the cheaper buses.

While the public welcomed the buses, some officials blamed Zupco for worsening congestion in cities as they do not have designated pick up points.

Zupco acting chief executive officer Mr Evaristo Madangwa said the company was alive to congestion issues and is in talks with authorities to address it.

“We are working with authorities to ensure that we get parking spaces for our buses to avoid crowding.

It’s something which is work in progress,” said Mr Madangwa.

Recently, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, which brokered the deal between Zupco and private players to introduce buses in urban routes, handed over all administrative issues relating to the buses to the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing.

Traditionally, Zupco’s administration falls under the Local Government Ministry.

Mr Madangwa assured the public that Zupco would not be withdrawing its buses due to competition from kombis.

He said Zupco buses would continue operating as Government is committed to providing a reliable mode of transport.

“We are content with our business operations. We are not competing with kombis, all we are doing is we are offering reliable and affordable transport,” Mr Madangwa said.

Some kombi crews have been under the illusion that the buses operating in cities were a stop gap measure and would not last.

However, President Mnangagwa’s Government has affirmed its commitment to providing reliable transport and has secured 500 buses from Belarus to ease transport problems in the country. — @nqotshili.