Buses remain as relocation order officially expires

Dar es Salaam. Several bus operators continued to pick up and drop off passengers from their usual locations across the city even as the deadline for an order requiring all upcountry buses to relocate to the Magufuli Bus Terminal expired yesterday.

A survey by The Citizen yesterday found bus operations continuing at Shekilango, Manzese and Mabibo, among other areas, despite a directive issued by Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Albert Chalamila on August 12.

Mr Chalamila ordered all long-distance bus operators to move their operations to the Magufuli Terminal as part of efforts to ease congestion in the city centre and improve traffic management.

Currently, several bus companies operate from their own stations before passing through the main terminal when beginning their journeys.

However, five days after the directive, operators had yet to fully comply, citing concerns over the terminal’s capacity, sanitation and passenger facilities.

Tanzania Bus Owners Association (Taboa) secretary-general Priscus Joseph said operators were not rejecting the directive but wanted the government to address challenges at the terminal before they moved.

“We are not opposing the order of the Regional Commissioner but we have asked the government to address the challenges at Magufuli Terminal before moving us there,” Mr Joseph said.

He said the terminal’s parking capacity was a particular concern during peak travel periods.

“The terminal has about 108 parking spaces, but we can have more than 400 buses, and during the high season the number can reach 800. Where will all these buses be parked?” he asked.

Mr Joseph also cited sanitation and other passenger facilities, saying some of the shortcomings that had previously discouraged operators from using the terminal remained unresolved.

He said the concerns extended to passengers, some of whom were reluctant to travel to the terminal because of its location and the additional costs involved.

“If operators do not want to move there, and passengers also do not want to go there, the Government should ask itself why,” he said.

Passengers fear costs

Passengers interviewed by The Citizen said the relocation could increase the cost and inconvenience of travelling to destinations such as Mwanza, Mbeya, Arusha and Dodoma.

John Michael said travelling through the Magufuli Terminal would require him to pay additional transport costs before even boarding his bus.

He said the existing pick-up points were more convenient because they were closer to residential and business areas in Manzese, Mabibo, Shekilango and other parts of the city.

“If I am travelling to Mwanza, I already have to pay the bus fare for a long journey. If I also have to pay to reach Magufuli Terminal and then another fare when I arrive in Mwanza, the cost becomes too high,” he said.

The dispute highlights a wider question about whether relocating long-distance buses to a single terminal will reduce congestion without increasing the cost and travel time for passengers.

Tanzania Logistics and Transport Association (TALTA) president Alphonce Mwingira said the debate should not focus solely on where buses start or end their journeys.

He said transport planning should consider the entire journey, including the cost and time passengers spend travelling from the terminal to their final destinations within Dar es Salaam.

“If a passenger arrives from another region and still has to spend a significant amount of money to reach their destination within the city, then the transport system has not fully addressed their needs,” he said.

Mr Mwingira urged the Government and the Land Transport Regulatory Authority (Latra) to establish clear standards for bus terminals, covering sanitation, drainage, passenger facilities and parking capacity.

He said improving existing facilities in different parts of the city could offer a more balanced approach, helping to reduce congestion while maintaining access to convenient transport services.