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Nesia Mhaka Herald Correspondent
Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) will tomorrow marginally increase fares for urban commuter buses, in a development that will see commuters living in farthest suburbs paying only $2 per trip. Despite the fare increase, Zupco buses remain the most affordable means of transport considering that private transport operators are charging up to $8 in Chitungwiza, Ruwa and Norton routes.

Chief executive officer Mr Evaristo Madangwa said the current prices will double by Tuesday (tomorrow).

“We are advising the public that starting from Tuesday, the Zupco bus fares will rise from 50c to $1; 75c to $1,50; $1 to $2,” he said.

People from Norton will now be paying $2 per single trip into Harare, while fares for Chitungwiza, Ruwa and other suburbs will go up to $1,50 from 75 cents.

Commuters from other suburbs closer to town like Warren Park, Belvedere and Kuwadzana will now pay $1, up from 50 cents.

Mr Madangwa said Zupco had introduced inter-city Zupco buses to ease the high transport costs confronting long distance travellers.

“Zupco buses have a critical role to address transport challenges by providing cheaper options to citizens. We have introduced inter-city buses which plies across cities, for example, from Harare to Mutare, Harare to Kariba, (and) Harare to Gokwe, among others.

“We have a vision of developing an integrated and multi-model urban transport system which shall be plying rural, inter-city, cross-border and intra city journeys. We prioritise comprehensive public transport systems to increase convenience, reliability and comfort with the commuting public,” he said.

Mr Madangwa said in the meantime, they have started distribution of more Zupco buses in urban areas in order to curb transport challenges.

He said they so far they have deployed four buses to Kadoma, and Gwanda will be next.

“We have started to distribute buses to small towns with the aim of mitigating transport challenges which are being faced by communities. We began by deploying four buses to Kadoma and we are going to have many buses coming in. Our target is to have ten buses per town. Two weeks from now, we will deploy other buses to Gwanda.

“By the time that scheme is over, I have no doubt that we would have done a lot to ameliorate transport challenges in towns,” he said.