DAR ES SALAAM: THE Land Transport Regulatory Authority (LATRA) has revoked the licenses of 36 upcountry buses that were initially permitted to operate 24 hours due to tampering with the bus Vehicle Tracking System (VTS).
According to the authority, the buses belong to Kapricon Royal Class Company (nine buses), Aboud Bus Services (two buses), Dar Express (two buses), and 23 other companies with one bus each.
LATRA Director General, Habibu Suluo, revealed this yesterday when giving a report on the evaluation of the upcountry buses that were operating 24 hours from October to November 6 this year.
The evaluation was conducted after Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa announced on June 28 of this year that the ban on up- country buses travelling at night would be lifted.
The implementation of this announcement began on October 1. Mr Suluo emphasised that the authority revoked the licences of the buses for interfering with the bus VTS, which caused the system to stop and skip sending information to the centre.
In particular, he added that out of the total 246 buses licensed to travel at night, 197 buses, equivalent to 80 per cent, were found to be overspeeding
. “About 80 per cent of these buses were found to be overspeeding between 86-89 kilometres per hour (Kmph), while nine per cent were found to be overspeeding from 90 to 103 kmph…this means that only 11 per cent operated at the required speed during nights,” he said.
However, Suluo said that after monitoring the trend of transport services, the authorities have identi- fied various irregularities, including some buses that were connected to VTS but did not send information completely and others that sent information partially.
“Other drivers were found not to use the driver identification button (I- button) and other operators were using electronic Ticketing system (e-ticketing) without providing a proper list of passengers travelling (Manifest) and submitting it to the Police Force in accordance with existing Laws and Regulations,” he added.
Traffic Division Com- mander, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Po- lice (SACP), Ramadhan Ng’anzi, stated that during the evaluation period, LATRA, in collaboration with the Police Force, revoked the licenses of 10 upcountry bus drivers who tampered with VTS.
SACP Ng’anzi mentioned the names of the drivers who have been sus- pended for a period of two to six months, including Ahmed Salama (Johanvia Investment LTD), Jumaa Nassoro (Kimbinyiko), Juma Mbega (Monge Kahonge), Paulo Wambura (Machame Express) and Izack Velata (Happy Nation Express).
Others who were suspended are Patric Shoo (Imani Peter Shoo), Juma Kikwembe (Saibaba Express), Yahya Marijan (Kwaya Kuu Ruanda Moravian), Michael Kitengule (Frester Investment LTD) and Emmanuely Msyani (Bahari Group), who were suspended for overspeeding up to 121 kmph.