Rudo Saungweme

ZUPCO management has reviewed up the sub-contractor fees from the current RTGS $700 per day to RTGS $1 300.

The adjustment followed complaints by sub-contractor operators about overpriced maintenance and running costs. They had requested for a part payment in USD which was, however, shot down.

Last week ZUPCO management had a meeting with 13 bus operators from Harare at Makonde building where they proposed for the adjustment of fees.

The meeting was at the behest of Permanent Secretary for Finance and Economic Development Minister, George Guvamatanga who requested for the increase of buses to cope with the demand by commuting public following a knockdown of fees.

At the meeting, it was agreed to avail additional 50 buses for Harare beginning on 24 this month which is against the target of 100 buses for Harare.

Transporter fees will be paid on a rate per trip. Those who travel a kilometre to ten kilometres (km) are expected to have twelve trips at a rate of RTGS $108.30 per trip. Those who travel up to 20 km are expected to cover 10 trips at a rate of RTGS $130, whilst 20 to 30 km will cover eight trips at a rate of 102.50 per trip and those above 40 km are expected to cover four trips at a rate of RTGS $325m per trip.

Mr Guvamatanga agreed to raise transporter fees and subsidise mass urban transport program.

Government is doing all it can to cushion the people from the economic challenges as we head towards economic recovery. In a move meant to cushion the commuting public, Government last week slashed ZUPCO fares by 50 percent on Operation Restore Sanity.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s engagement and re-engagement efforts have resulted in Belarus offered a facility of 500 buses to modernise the mass public transport system, as part of.