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Freeman Razemba-Senior Reporter

Legislators have hailed the Government’s decision to restrict omnibuses offering public transport services to 60km from the centre of the town where they are registered, and the compulsory use of the same speed limiters and monitoring as large buses, saying this will improve road safety.

The legislators said the restriction, half the previous 120km, was a deterrent measure especially against pirate taxis in the wake of an increase in accidents involving public transport vehicles.

Kombis will also have the same speed limiting and monitoring devices that have made such a major difference in safety for larger buses.

The new rules mean kombi operators can continue to flourish on urban and peri-urban routes, but cannot handle the highway routes.

The new limit was designed to improve safety on the country’s major roads. Only larger buses, those able to carry more than the 26-passenger limit for kombis, can ply the longer journeys in either scheduled or charter services.

In an interview yesterday, the chairman of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructure Development, Cde Knowledge Kaitano said: “It is a step forward, although we would have loved that the distances are even shorter.

“Most of the accidents happening on our roads involve kombis and mushikashika vehicles so it is prudent to prevent them from plying highways.

“At least in towns, their speeds are naturally limited by stops and other traffic. But we pray that the ministry has done a clear analysis to ensure that in as much as the kombis do not go beyond 60km, we have enough public transport, the bigger buses, to ferry people.”

Greater Harare Association of Commuter Operators (GHACO) chairman, Mr Ngoni Katsvairo said: “We are yet to engage authorities to get clarity on some issues. All we have at the moment is just the press statement.”

Zimbabwe United Deregulated Commuter Operators (ZUDCO) president Mr Frederick Maguramhinga said the decision was made without the consultation of the affected stakeholders.

“We feel that bus operators are influencing some of these changes to further their interests.

“They survive by eliminating others. If it is about road carnage, buses have claimed more lives than kombis,” he said.

Mr Maguramhinga said kombi operators would engage the responsible Minister over the issue in the hope of finding common ground.

In a statement this week, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona explained the reasons for the switch.

“As the Ministry endeavours to mitigate against road traffic crashes involving kombis, a policy position has been taken to review the current radius-based restrictions for kombis on the issuance of route permits from 120km to 60km with effect from September 3 for operators seeking new permits.

“This is one of the many robust policies, regulatory and administrative mechanisms being adopted to improve the country’s road safety regime. Thus, it implies that all 26-seater kombis and below, will be restricted to offer transport services within a radius of distances not exceeding 60km.

“We urge all commuters travelling beyond the 60km radius to use transport services offered by high-capacity buses. These buses are more predictable, reliable, comfortable and more consistent than the quality of service offered by kombis on long-distance routes.

“Buses also have greater leg space and baggage space for long distance travellers than kombis, which makes buses more ideal for long distance journeys,” said Minister Mhona.