News / National
Zupco buys 100 75-seater buses from China
27 Apr 2013 at 06:05hrs | Views
The Zimbabwe United Passenger Company has bought an additional 100 75-seater buses from China at a cost of US$8 million, board chairperson Dr Chipo Dyanda has disclosed.
The new acquisitions expected to start arriving in the country in August bring the total Zupco fleet to slightly over 300.
"We have bought another 100 buses for 2013. We should receive the first batch in August," she said.
Under its five-year strategic plan Zupco intends to increase its fleet to 500 buses.
In 2011 and 2012 the company purchased 200 new buses which are plying various rural and inter-urban routes.
Dr Dyanda said 50 of the new buses would be deployed in urban centres with Harare being used as a pilot project of relaunching the urban fleet.
She said plans were in progress to reclaim the Rezende Bus Terminus in the city centre for use by the new buses.
Urban commuters have always clamoured for the Zupco buses because of their adherence to timetables.
She said the company bought the same "robust bus that can be used in the rural areas' rugged roads".
She said the research and development unit at Zupco was working with the Chinese to model a much stronger bus that could ply some of the poor rural roads.
"We are also refurbishing our old fleet. So far we have brought back 10 old buses on the road. We are working with army engineers to bring back the old buses. We are happy with progress," she said.
Government recently announced it was phasing out commuter omnibuses with a carrying capacity of below 26 passengers as part of efforts to decongest urban centres.
Traffic movement in Harare has been greatly compromised by the huge volume of kombis estimated to be over 6 000.
Council recently ordered that kombis use the designated 10 bus ranks in the city, a development that has made roads leading in and out of the bus ranks impassable.
The new policy thrust is contained in the new national transport policy that was launched by Transport, Communications and Infrastructural Development Minister Nicholas Goche.
He announced plans to introduce a mass bus transport system that would include conventional and articulated buses. Urban commuter trains are also included in the plans.
The new acquisitions expected to start arriving in the country in August bring the total Zupco fleet to slightly over 300.
"We have bought another 100 buses for 2013. We should receive the first batch in August," she said.
Under its five-year strategic plan Zupco intends to increase its fleet to 500 buses.
In 2011 and 2012 the company purchased 200 new buses which are plying various rural and inter-urban routes.
Dr Dyanda said 50 of the new buses would be deployed in urban centres with Harare being used as a pilot project of relaunching the urban fleet.
She said plans were in progress to reclaim the Rezende Bus Terminus in the city centre for use by the new buses.
Urban commuters have always clamoured for the Zupco buses because of their adherence to timetables.
She said the research and development unit at Zupco was working with the Chinese to model a much stronger bus that could ply some of the poor rural roads.
"We are also refurbishing our old fleet. So far we have brought back 10 old buses on the road. We are working with army engineers to bring back the old buses. We are happy with progress," she said.
Government recently announced it was phasing out commuter omnibuses with a carrying capacity of below 26 passengers as part of efforts to decongest urban centres.
Traffic movement in Harare has been greatly compromised by the huge volume of kombis estimated to be over 6 000.
Council recently ordered that kombis use the designated 10 bus ranks in the city, a development that has made roads leading in and out of the bus ranks impassable.
The new policy thrust is contained in the new national transport policy that was launched by Transport, Communications and Infrastructural Development Minister Nicholas Goche.
He announced plans to introduce a mass bus transport system that would include conventional and articulated buses. Urban commuter trains are also included in the plans.
Source - TH
