LATRA pushes for innovation to drive growth
DAR ES SALAAM: THE Land Transport Regulatory Authority (LATRA) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the country’s logistics sector, highlighting its strategic role as a key driver of economic growth and regional integration.
This renewed commitment focuses on expanding modern infrastructure, streamlining transport regulations and fostering innovation across the logistics value chain efforts aimed at positioning Tanzania as a more competitive trade hub for both local and regional markets.
LATRA’s Manager for Safety Coordination and Environment, Mr Godfrey Silanda said the authority is currently working on revising transport regulations to better accommodate technological and systemic changes.
“The plan is in the preparation stage and the goal is to enhance our ability to detect risky behaviours or practices that may lead to road accidents,” Mr Silanda said yesterday during the smart fuel and video control solution for fleets’ workshop.
A workshop organised by Horizon IoT Tanzania, in collaboration with Escort Monitoring Systems and Howen Technologies, focused on addressing key challenges in the road transport sector particularly fuel theft while promoting operational transparency and efficiency.
During the event, Horizon IoT, the local distributor of the technology and its partners introduced a suite of advanced tracking technologies, including fuel level sensors, GPS trackers, video monitoring systems and local distributor support.
These tools are designed to help logistics companies enhance fleet efficiency, safety and overall business performance.
LATRA representative Mr Silanda noted that the new technology complements the government’s existing Vehicle Tracking System (VTS), which has been operational for the past eight years
“Through the VTS, we have been using limited tools. This new system introduces expanded capabilities, including in-vehicle cameras to better monitor driver behaviour,” he said.
Horizon Tanzania Managing Director, Ms Hildagath Msuya, said the initiative is expected to significantly improve the functionality of the current VTS, adding that adoption is gradually increasing among local companies.
“Only a few companies have implemented these integrated systems so far, but uptake is growing,” she noted.
Escort Monitoring Systems’ East Africa Regional Manager, Mr Samwel Ngugi, emphasised the value of combining video solutions with traditional telematics to enhance fleet visibility, driver accountability and operational safety.
“These technologies offer customers globally tested solutions with dependable local support, which is essential for long-term, sustainable operations,” he said.
