City commuter buses return

Apr 24, 2015

Pioneer Easy buses resume operations next week in some parts of the Kampala city.


By Eddie Ssejjoba          
  
Pioneer Easy buses resume operations next week in some parts of the Kampala city.


The development is good news to many people especially low income earners who have been complaining about the delay to allow the company resume operations. The buses’ operation was halted in 2013 following failure to clear tax dues to Uganda Revenue Authority amounting to sh8.5b.

Ben Nienaber, the new company operations manager on Friday together with a team of staff set off from Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) in one bus for a test drive around the city to study the road conditions and the volume of traffic on the routes.

 Nienaber said they expect to officially start city operations on May 3, 2015 starting with the Eastern Route that includes plying between the City Square and Banda on the outskirts of Kampala and between the City Square and Luzira.

The management will consider resuming full operations in other routes around the city including the South and Western routes.

Pioneer bus on route test: PHOTO/Eddie Ssejjoba

 

Pioneer bus directors and reporters inside a bus.


Elias Tumwine, a passenger said the reinstatement of the bus operations would be good news to many who feel cheated by taxi touts who charge them higher fares and change the rates at their own convenience.

He said the buses will also reduce on the traffic jam especially during rush hours in the morning and evening.  
 
Government had also promised to work with KCCA to reinstate railway transport around the city.    
 
 The Pioneer buses are also expected to provide employment to many people including drivers, conductors, technical and other staff.

Before the buses were grounded, they had recruited over 500 drivers and conductors.  

Testing of the buses' mechanical conditions has been going on from the Namboole Stadium Park yard to ascertain their road worthiness.   

The bus management have held several meetings with KCCA to finalize the new contract.

The KCCA deputy Public Relations Officer, Robert Kalumba who was around as the team set off for the road test said the contract will soon be finalized and hoped it will be in place by next week.

Details were not available as to how much passengers will pay on each route but management had recently hinted on increasing the fares from the original rates in 2013.  

    

 

 

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