AS costs for basic goods, including fuel, continue to skyrocket in Zimbabwe, transport has become ever more difficult and expensive.<\/p>\n
In response, the government reintroduced its cheap public bus service. But that has left the previously popular private omnibus service with fewer passengers and lower wages for drivers.<\/p>\n
Omnibus conductor Mbongeni Ndlovu raises his hands and signals towards the city center of Bulawayo, directing commuters to the waiting vehicle on the roadside.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s go, good customers. How much do you have?\u201d he shouts in Ndebele, one of the languages used in the city.<\/p>\n
Ndlovu has plied his trade in Cowdray Park, a high-density suburb about 15 km (9 miles) from the city center for the past six years, helping him support his wife and two young children.<\/p>\n
But his livelihood directing the private omnibuses is under threat since the government has re-introduced the Zimbabwe United Passengers Company, known locally as Zupco, a low-cost bus system that operates in Bulawayo and Zimbabwe\u2019s other major cities.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince the coming in of Zupco buses, our customer base has reduced. Our customers prefer to board the buses, as they are cheaper,\u201d Ndlovu says.<\/p>\n
A Zupco bus ride costs only 1 Zimbabwean dollar (ZWL) ($0.13) for an adult and 50 Zimbabwean cents for children under the age of 12. In contrast, commuter omnibus operators had charged a flat fee of 3 ZWL ($0.25) per ride, a fare that recently rose to 5 ZWL ($0.46).<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have already lost more than half of our regular clients due to the coming in of Zupco buses,\u201d says Daniel Pondo, owner of omnibus company City Transit. In some cases, the company has allowed customers to board for just 2 ZWL ($0.18).<\/p>\n
Zimbabwe\u2019s economy has struggled the last several years, and especially since the 2018 general election. The Zimbabwean dollar has lost value since being announced as the country\u2019s sole currency in June 2019. The volatile economic situation has brought fuel shortages, making private transport such as omnibuses more expensive.<\/p>\n
Private omnibuses had been the most popular mode of transport for Zimbabweans, but the fares are now unaffordable for many commuters. This led the government to re-introduce lower-cost Zupco bus service in major cities.<\/p>\n
There are only about 300 Zupco buses in operation in the country and though they are larger and carry more passengers, the size of that fleet pales in comparison to the thousands of private omnibuses operating across Zimbabwe. There are 1,200 in Bulawayo alone.<\/p>\n
In Bulawayo, omnibuses, which always have both a driver and a conductor to collect fares, now struggle to compete with the government-subsidized bus service. And now, paychecks for both positions are decreasing, a Bulawayo resident\u2019s association spokesperson confirms.<\/p>\n
Zupco buses initially thrived in the years immediately following the country\u2019s independence in 1980.
\nAfter the bus system was deregulated in 1993, the government could no longer afford to maintain the fleet.<\/p>\n
The resulting legalization of private transportation providers, popularly known as \u201cemergency taxis,\u201d was intended to augment the Zupco bus service. These emergency taxis were the predecessors of the modern omnibus. Omnibuses carry about 18 passengers, offer fast service and operate 24 hours a day. Zupco buses are larger and slower, but benefit from government-subsidized fuel.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe coming in of Zupco buses has greatly affected our business,\u201d says Atlas Moyo, the founder of Tshova Mbaiwa, one of Bulawayo\u2019s oldest and most popular omnibus fleets.<\/p>\n
Moyo\u2019s business relies on fuel bought from the pump at the going price of the day, a price that has tripled since June and continues to increase.<\/p>\n
\u201cPetrol and diesel have gone up twice in the last two weeks,\u201d he says. \u201cHowever, we cannot increase our fares further, as all our customers will go to Zupco.\u201d<\/p>\n
Not all omnibus operators have been affected by the re-introduction of the buses, in particular operators that travel routes to smaller suburbs where Zupco does not offer service.<\/p>\n
Expricoss Taxis charges 3 ZWL ($0.25) per trip, and customers are paying, says driver Simba Runetsi.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is difficult for our customers to complain as there are very few buses that go to suburbs in the low density [areas],\u201d Runetsi says.<\/p>\n
Other commuters still pay for the omnibuses to avoid Zupco\u2019s long wait times.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
AS costs for basic goods, including fuel, continue to skyrocket in Zimbabwe, transport has become ever more difficult and expensive. In response, the government reintroduced its cheap public bus service. But that has left the previously popular private omnibus service with fewer passengers and lower wages for drivers. Omnibus conductor Mbongeni Ndlovu raises his hands […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":18799,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,4],"tags":[800,385],"class_list":["post-18797","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-community","tag-government-of-zimbabwe","tag-zupco"],"yoast_head":"\n