Restoring dignity at the bus stop: New standards proposed

Moro/Mtwara. Consumer protection experts, transport stakeholders, and passengers suggest that paying a bus fare should not mark the end of the transport system's responsibility to long-distance travellers.

After paying the fare and beginning the journey, passengers still need basic services, including a safe place to rest, clean toilets, safe food, and clearly displayed prices.

However, the experience of travellers at rest stops such as Mkambarani in Morogoro Region and Nangulukuru in Lindi Region shows that these basic needs still face challenges.

The findings are based on a three-month investigation by The Citizen into conditions at bus stops, including food prices, time allowed for breaks, sanitation, and service availability.

The problem becomes more evident when passengers are given a short break while having several needs at the same time.

The Land Transport Regulatory Authority (Latra), the Transport Licensing (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations, 2020 requires that long-distance buses should stop at designated rest areas providing social services for passengers for at least 20 minutes.

Latra’s head of public relations and communication unit, Mr Salum Pazzy, said the authority continues to educate drivers and conductors about the requirement through various forums and customer service channels.

“We receive complaints from some stakeholders about food prices. There is controversy because in some places food is expensive. But currently there is no law to control food prices under transport services,” he said.

However, the three-month investigation found that passengers are sometimes told they have only 10 minutes, leaving them to use the toilet, obtain food, and return to the bus under considerable pressure.

The findings suggest that improving passenger welfare will require cooperation between Latra and other relevant stakeholders, particularly because food services at bus stops fall outside Latra’s direct price-regulation mandate.

Calls for clearer rules

The Tanzania Passenger Rights Education and Advocacy Organisation (Shikuhata) has called on the government, Latra, and the Ministry of Transport to take urgent measures to strengthen passenger protection.

Shikuhata executive director, Mr Ambakisye Mwakifwange, said Latra should establish clear rules against arrangements in which bus companies or their employees receive commissions for directing passengers to particular hotels.

He also called for appropriate sanctions against operators found leaving passengers behind.

Mr Mwakifwange said the government should work with the Tanzania National Roads Agency (Tanroads) and local authorities to establish and supervise designated passenger rest stops at appropriate intervals, equipped with clean toilets, water, and adequate food services. “We also propose joint education campaigns involving Latra, bus operators, and passenger-rights organisations to ensure passengers understand their rights and drivers and conductors understand their responsibilities,” he said. He said the objective was not to interfere with legitimate businesses but to ensure passengers were not disadvantaged while travelling under a fixed schedule.

“We want transport services to have a human face. The profit of a company should not come above the dignity and rights of citizens,” he said.

The calls come against the backdrop of passengers who say they are sometimes forced to make quick decisions over food and other services because they fear missing their buses. For them, better-managed stops would not necessarily mean government-controlled food prices. Instead, they would mean enough time to make choices, clear information about prices, adequate sanitation, and services capable of handling passengers when several buses arrive simultaneously.

That would also make the 20-minute requirement more meaningful, turning it from a rule on paper into a practical protection for people travelling long distances.

Prices should be displayed before ordering

Transport stakeholder, Mr Baraka Mwakajumba, said food prices were another concern at stops visited for this series. Passengers reported paying up to Sh10,000 for meals such as chips with chicken or goat meat, while rice or ugali served with chicken or fish was also available from Sh10,000. At Nangulukuru, a portion of goat meat was reported to cost Sh6,000.

Mr Mwakajumba said displaying food prices would help passengers prepare before buying.

“If food prices are displayed, passengers can prepare themselves. However, because they are in a hurry, sellers sometimes quote prices that are not on the displayed menu because they know few passengers will take the time to check,” he said.

The concern is not simply that food costs more at a busy highway stop. The bigger question is whether passengers have a meaningful opportunity to compare prices and make a choice.

For a passenger with only a few minutes before a bus departs, leaving the designated stop to look for cheaper food is often impractical.

A clearly displayed menu with prices would therefore give passengers important information before they order.

The objective should not necessarily be for the government to set the price of every meal, but to ensure consumers know what they are being charged so they can make an informed decision.

Human Rights and Business Officer at the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC), Mr Clay Mwaifwani, said food prices charged to travellers at designated stops can be higher than prices for similar meals in nearby areas because demand is concentrated in a particular location and within a limited period.

He said the situation could disproportionately affect passengers with lower incomes.

“Latra’s law regulates transport services, leaving a gap regarding other services associated with transportation, including food services,” said Mr Mwaifwani.

He said consumers have a right to choose, particularly in a competitive market, but that right can be undermined during travel when passengers have limited time and are taken to specific stops.

Furthermore, Mr Mwaifwani said consumers have four fundamental rights: the right to safety, the right to information, the right to choice, and the right to seek redress.

According to him, the problem of food prices at bus stops directly affects the right to choice because passengers may have little practical opportunity to seek alternatives.

To strengthen consumer protection, he proposed that the Fair Competition Commission (FCC), working with Latra and other stakeholders, consider a regulatory framework that recognises food services at long-distance travel stops as an important component of passenger welfare.

“Such a framework could establish clear requirements on pricing transparency and consumer protection and provide sanctions where businesses violate the rules,” he said.

He further urged the FCC to use its powers under Section 62(4) of the Fair Competition Act [Cap. 285, 2023 Edition], in collaboration with Latra and other stakeholders, to strengthen consumer protection for passengers.

The proposed approach would not necessarily require the government to control the price of every meal. Instead, it could focus on ensuring transparency, fair competition, and meaningful consumer choice at places where passengers have limited alternatives.

Latra could also work with bus operators and local authorities to establish minimum standards for designated stops, including adequate toilets, water, seating, and the capacity to serve large numbers of passengers within the required break period.

The proposed 25-minute break could meanwhile be assessed using evidence from busy stops.

 Latra could measure how long passengers actually take to leave buses, use toilets, obtain food, and return before deciding whether the existing break period is adequate.

Such an approach would address both sides of the problem: protecting passengers while ensuring that longer breaks do not unnecessarily disrupt journey schedules.

For long-distance travellers, the issue is therefore not simply whether a bus arrives at its destination on time. It is whether passengers can access basic services safely, know what they are paying for, and make meaningful choices during the journey.