The Sunday Mail
Kuda Bwititi
Chief Reporter
AS the nation continues to digest the success of Government’s intervention to introduce conventional buses for urban commuters, experts say the move has created a window of opportunity for far reaching economic development.
One million urban commuters reportedly ply to and from work daily countrywide creating a multi-million dollar industry that has the potential to flourish, if properly structured.
In most developed countries, an effective public transport system is deemed key to achieving maximum productivity, creating economic opportunities, facilitating trade and enabling access to markets and other crucial services. Well-organised mobility also helps towns and cities to be more dynamic and create more jobs.
It is in this light that Government’s decision to introduce conventional buses for urban commuters under the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) should be seen as a first step in what should become a transformation of the transit system.
Under the move, Zupco is superintending a fleet of 144 buses that are ferrying commuters in Harare at affordable fares, bringing relief to urban dwellers who had for long borne the brunt of being overcharged and taken for granted by unprofessional commuter omnibus operators.
Experts say the revival of a public urban mass transportation presents a massive prospect to create thousands of jobs, boost infrastructure and even reduce consumption of fuel.
Zupco acting chief executive Mr Evaristo Madangwa said the introduction of conventional buses for urban transit was not a stop-gap measure, but the first steps in revolutionising the public transportation industry.
“I would want to assure the commuting public that there is nothing to fear. This is a long-term project that will run until everything is in place. This is a sustainable, well-thought after project,” he said.
Zupco, according to Mr Madangwa, has a road map that will lead to long-term solutions to problems in the urban mass transport sector.
“We are in the process of building our capital base with the intention of acquiring our own buses. This will not, in any way, affect the current arrangement that we have with the private players,” he added.
Zupco needs a maximum fleet of about 1 500 buses and this will create as much as 10 000 jobs for drivers, conductors and inspectors.
Former Zupco chief executive Mr Bright Matonga said the mass public transportation system will reduce fuel consumption by motorists.
“There are many people who drive to work just because they do not have confidence in the urban transport system,” he said.
“If the system is affordable, reliable and efficient, most people who drive to work will realise that they do not need to burn fuel daily.
“In fact in developed countries such as the United Kingdom, most workers including executives prefer to use public transport to go to work
“Having a reliable urban transport system will see less small vehicles being driven to work, this means there will be a reduction on fuel consumption. In the context of our current situation, one can conclude that there can be a gradual reduction in the demand for fuel, if the transportation system is effective.
“I applaud the move which Government has done to subsidise the current fleet of buses which is being managed by Zupco. They need to continue doing that because the urban transport system cannot be left in the hands of commuter operators that extort commuters.
“The transport sector is actually a security threat if it not properly managed. It has the impact of eroding workers earnings and causing public outrage.”
Mr Matonga advised authorities not to engage middlemen in reviving Zupco as this has the potential of opening up avenues for corruption.
Fillip for vehicle assemble
industry
One industry that is expected to benefit from the revival of ZUPCO and the mass urban transportation is vehicle assembly. Some of the companies in line to tap into ZUPCO’s success include the country bus assembly operators Deven Engineering, AVM Africa while other vehicle assembles such as Willowvale Motor Industry as well as Quest motors are also in line for rich pickings. Deven Engineering chief executive Mr Patrick Munyaradzi said his company, which has been facing a myriad of challenges is likely to enhance its capacity utilisation following the resurgence of ZUPCO.
“As a bus assembling company, we are elated by the recent developments which have the potential to get us back on our feet. Currently, we are operating at 10 percent capacity, but we believe the re-introduction of buses into the urban mass transportation system will give us good business.
“As a starting point, we are hoping to get a lifeline to refurbish the current fleet under ZUPCO. In the future we hope to get into the major business of assembling the buses locally.”
AVM Africa was once an exporter of buses to the continent and it is anticipated the renaissance of ZUPCO will get the company to its former glory.
The Msasa based bus assembler has capacity to produce up to 1 000 buses a month and experts contend that locally produced buses are more durable than some imported units.
Infrastructure development
Revival of the urban transit also presents an opportunity for infrastructure development.
In its heyday, Zupco had termini in almost all the country’s districts.
Such structures now need to be refurbished as they offer a business platform not only as passenger pick-up points but strategic stations for commercial trade, particularly for small and medium scale operators.
Authorities also need to ratchet current efforts being undertaken to rehabilitate roads.
The old days when Zupco was famed as the only reliable passenger transporter might be long in coming, but the resurgence of the company has left citizens with hope.
Authorities need to burn the midnight oil to revive the public transportation system in a sustainable way as this will have a snowball effect on other sectors and give further oomph to the economic recovery drive.
