We’ll hire 4,000 new drivers, says UDA

Chairman of Simon Group, which is the major shareholder of Usafiri Dar es Salaam (Uda), Mr  Robert Kisena  briefs reporters during a brief ceremony to launch the firm’s new fleet of buses (at the background) last year. PHOTO | FILE

IN SUMMARY

Firm’s executive director Simon Bulenganija told The Citizen at the weekend that the new employment for drivers comes as the company is finalising plans to import 2,000 buses worth Sh200 billion by mid-this-year, a project which is also in line with preparations for Dart.


Dar es Salaam. Usafiri Dar es Salaam (Uda) -- a public transport firm -- would employ at least 4,000 drivers by June, this year, to prepare for the kick-off of the Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit (Dart) expected to start operations next year.

The city commuter bus entity currently employes only 290 drivers, according to management reports.

Firm’s executive director Simon Bulenganija told The Citizen at the weekend that the new employment for drivers comes as the company is finalising plans to import 2,000 buses worth Sh200 billion by mid-this-year, a project which is also in line with preparations for Dart.

Of the 2,000 targeted buses, the company has already introduced 70 in the transport network by last December, whereby 170 more buses would hit the road by the end of this month.

He added that 300 other new buses are already at the Dar es Salaam Port waiting for completion of clearance logistics.

“So, looking at the trend of importing buses, we are making progress,” he said.

When the Dart comes into operation, commuter bus companies would be required to transport passengers on feeder roads to the system.

Uda, owned by Simon Group, as a major shareholder said so far it was on the right path as far as preparations for the Dart operations were concerned.

“Collectively, we are on the right track for the preparations in terms of infrastructure, performance and management,” Mr Bulenganija said.

Regarding infrastructure, he said, the company currently also implements construction of depots at different places to accommodate the increased number of buses.

However, he cited poor road infrastructure as one of the major challenges in providing transport services.

“Some suburbs have rough roads, but since we intend to provide transport services, we will do so, however, we are hopeful that the government would improve them,” he said.