News / National
Harare electric buses deal on cards
12 Apr 2018 at 06:54hrs | Views
An American company, Concept Media Group, is seeking to tie down Harare City Council to a deal to introduce intracity electric buses (E-buses).
The firm plans to introduce the electricity-powered buses for intra-city commuting on a pilot basis.
The E-buses are capable of carrying 20 to 30 passengers per ride.
According to the company's pitch, E-buses have a maximum speed of 60km/h and will have designated pick-up and drop-off points within a 10 to 30km radius of the city centre, giving commuters a readily available, safe and more affordable mode of transport for intra-city travelling.
According to the recent minutes of council's environment management committee, the E-buses would have a maximum of five-minute stops, stop shelters would be erected on each route designated and there will be a paying system on each shelter.
"E-buses aim to replace "Mushika-shika as the preferred, safe and affordable mode of transport for intercity routes. The E-bus can also be used for personal rides within 10km radius from the city centre," read the minutes. "E-buses have advantages over competition because they do not use fuel and oils, they were cheaper (25 cents) in terms of maintenance and operation, they were significantly smaller and lighter and they will be pre-installed with fleet management system."
The committee noted that the introduction of such a transport system would pave way for a cleaner, environmentally friendly, cost effective and easily manageable intra-city passenger transportation that echoes the Harare City Council's motto of a clean and beautiful Sunshine City by 2025.
The committee underscored the need for Concept Media Group to have buses which start from the suburbs — the source of commuters — and feed the shuttle services' pick-up points.
"The project would bring in competition with commuter omnibus operators. However, it (the committee) noted with concern that the commuter omnibus operators would not augment the proposed project for fear of being driven out of business, hence, the need for Concept Media Group to introduce buses from the source," noted the council.
Council resolved that Eng Chawatama negotiates with the Concept Media Group to introduce intercity electric bus passenger transport which start from the source.
It deferred making a decision on the matter since it wanted buses to carry people from their suburbs to the city centre.
"We resolved to defer the matter because we did not want to repeat the chaos from the last shuttle trial run," said environment management committee chairperson Herbert Gomba. "We want buses which carry people from their suburbs."
The firm plans to introduce the electricity-powered buses for intra-city commuting on a pilot basis.
The E-buses are capable of carrying 20 to 30 passengers per ride.
According to the company's pitch, E-buses have a maximum speed of 60km/h and will have designated pick-up and drop-off points within a 10 to 30km radius of the city centre, giving commuters a readily available, safe and more affordable mode of transport for intra-city travelling.
According to the recent minutes of council's environment management committee, the E-buses would have a maximum of five-minute stops, stop shelters would be erected on each route designated and there will be a paying system on each shelter.
"E-buses aim to replace "Mushika-shika as the preferred, safe and affordable mode of transport for intercity routes. The E-bus can also be used for personal rides within 10km radius from the city centre," read the minutes. "E-buses have advantages over competition because they do not use fuel and oils, they were cheaper (25 cents) in terms of maintenance and operation, they were significantly smaller and lighter and they will be pre-installed with fleet management system."
The committee noted that the introduction of such a transport system would pave way for a cleaner, environmentally friendly, cost effective and easily manageable intra-city passenger transportation that echoes the Harare City Council's motto of a clean and beautiful Sunshine City by 2025.
The committee underscored the need for Concept Media Group to have buses which start from the suburbs — the source of commuters — and feed the shuttle services' pick-up points.
"The project would bring in competition with commuter omnibus operators. However, it (the committee) noted with concern that the commuter omnibus operators would not augment the proposed project for fear of being driven out of business, hence, the need for Concept Media Group to introduce buses from the source," noted the council.
Council resolved that Eng Chawatama negotiates with the Concept Media Group to introduce intercity electric bus passenger transport which start from the source.
It deferred making a decision on the matter since it wanted buses to carry people from their suburbs to the city centre.
"We resolved to defer the matter because we did not want to repeat the chaos from the last shuttle trial run," said environment management committee chairperson Herbert Gomba. "We want buses which carry people from their suburbs."
Source - the herald
