TRAINING FOR DAR RAPID BUS TRANSIT DRIVERS BEGINS

Training of bus drivers for UDART, a firm that will be operating transportation on Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit (DART) system, will start on Monday, it was announced.

UDART Executive Chairman, Mr Robert Kisena, said that 130 qualified drivers have been recruited for training ahead of the inauguration of the service scheduled for early October.

He said training would be conducted by instructors from Vocational Education Training Authority (VETA) and a few Chinese experts. "We will start tomorrow (today) and we expect to recruit 300 drivers," Mr Kisena noted.

UDART Director, Mr Sabri Mabruk, said the firm would start with two buses for training, but more vehicles were expected in the country in a couple of weeks.

"Our plans are to bring in the country 76 buses and boost public transport efficiency in Dar es Salaam, where the people have for long been complaining of erratic commuter services," he said.

Mr Mabruk expressed concern over cases of vandalism and misuse of facilities along the DART project corridor and called for cooperation of City Fathers, law enforcement organs and the public in general.

There are reports that some people, especially petty traders invade bus stops selling various merchandise including cigarettes, beer, konyagi and viroba satchets.

In some extreme cases people come with mattresses at bus stops and spend nights, throwing around unpleasant garbage at the places.

Experts say Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) represented one of the most cost effective and sustainable transportation systems in the world, with recent success stories in Brazil, Chile and Colombia.

BRT can reach capacities of up to 45,000 - 50,000 passengers per hour per direction with speeds of over 25 kilometres per hour. After commencing operations in October, the buses will be plying between Kimara and Kivukoni. There will be 21 bus stops along the way.

Daily News