Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) will tomorrow
marginally increase fares for urban commuter buses, in a development that will
see commuters living in farthest suburbs paying only $2 per trip. Despite the
fare increase, Zupco buses remain the most affordable means of transport
considering that private transport operators are charging up to $8 in
Chitungwiza, Ruwa and Norton routes.
Chief executive officer Mr Evaristo Madangwa said the
current prices will double by Tuesday (tomorrow).
“We are advising the public that starting from Tuesday, the
Zupco bus fares will rise from 50c to $1; 75c to $1,50; $1 to $2,” he said.
People from Norton will now be paying $2 per single trip
into Harare, while fares for Chitungwiza, Ruwa and other suburbs will go up to
$1,50 from 75 cents.
Commuters from other suburbs closer to town like Warren
Park, Belvedere and Kuwadzana will now pay $1, up from 50 cents.
Mr Madangwa said Zupco had introduced inter-city Zupco
buses to ease the high transport costs confronting long distance travellers.
“Zupco buses have a critical role to address transport
challenges by providing cheaper options to citizens. We have introduced
inter-city buses which plies across cities, for example, from Harare to Mutare,
Harare to Kariba, (and) Harare to Gokwe, among others.
“We have a vision of developing an integrated and
multi-model urban transport system which shall be plying rural, inter-city,
cross-border and intra city journeys. We prioritise comprehensive public
transport systems to increase convenience, reliability and comfort with the
commuting public,” he said.
Mr Madangwa said in the meantime, they have started
distribution of more Zupco buses in urban areas in order to curb transport
challenges.
He said they so far they have deployed four buses to
Kadoma, and Gwanda will be next.
“We have started to distribute buses to small towns with
the aim of mitigating transport challenges which are being faced by
communities. We began by deploying four buses to Kadoma and we are going to
have many buses coming in. Our target is to have ten buses per town. Two weeks
from now, we will deploy other buses to Gwanda.
“By the time that scheme is over, I have no doubt that we
would have done a lot to ameliorate transport challenges in towns,” he said.
Herald
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