Zimpapers Logo

Herald Correspondent

Another 115 buses for the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO) have been cleared at the Durban Port en route to Beitbridge.

The Golden Dragon buses were imported by the Government from China and are expected to arrive anytime.

Zupco acting chief executive Mr Evaristo Mudangwa yesterday said the buses were now in Johannesburg and were expected to arrive at Beitbridge by tomorrow.

“We are expecting the buses to be at the border (Beitbridge) by tomorrow morning (today). Currently, they are in Johannesburg on their way to the border,” he said.

The Government last year imported a total of 349 buses assigned to the Zupco franchise as it moves to fix the public transport system.

These 369 buses exclude buses assigned to the Public Service Commission.

Zupco is using its share in all the 10 provinces, both for local shuttle services and intercity travel.

A major part of the Zupco fleet remains the private bus owners who have accepted the Zupco franchise arrangements. Besides building up the bus fleet, the passenger company has introduced peak hour rail passenger services in Harare, Gweru and Bulawayo.

Law enforcement agents have been in running battles with illegal transporters and unregistered vehicles who are carrying travellers at undesignated points creating chaos and unnecessary traffic jams.

Last month, President Mnangagwa commissioned 90 Golden Dragon Zupco buses from China which were distributed in areas that were hit by transport challenges across the country.

While Zupco is working on extending its Harare passenger rail service to Norton, the passenger company is also revamping the trains to make them more comfortable to passengers.

They have restored the lighting system on the Mufakose train and it is work in progress for the Ruwa and Tynwald trains.

Over the last 12 months, the Government has imported more than 450 buses from China and 349 were given to Zupco not only to boost its fleet, but starting the process of standardising models, to ease maintenance and allow good stock spares.