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Passengers bear the brunt fuel prices - TABOA
2006-05-23 08:58:02
By Guardian Reporter
Tanzania Bus Owners Association (TABOA) Chairman Mohamed Abdullah has requested the government to curb intermittent fuel price increases to ease the burden of fares and operational costs which are shouldered by owners and bus passengers.
In a statement issued in Dar es Salaam yesterday, the TABOA chairman said wananchi should not misunderstand bus operators, but should know that for a long time the business has been affected by frequent soaring fuel prices.
’In just a short time, fuel price has shot up from 800/- to 1,300/- per litre,’ he said.
The TABOA Chairman appealed to the Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (SUMATRA) leaders to stop complaining about the recent hiked bus fares by commuter bus operators, while doing nothing to curb increasing fuel prices.
He said soaring fuel prices also impacted negatively on the prices of spare parts including tyres, adding that TABOA had earlier warned of arbitrary increase of prices by some businessmen.
He took swipe at the so called HUWATA organisation which purports to protect the welfare of passengers, saying whoever issues a press statement in the name of the organisation is only hoodwinking wananchi.
’HUWATA does not involve itself in the transportation business. Therefore, it does not feel the pinch whenever fuel prices go up.
He insisted that TABOA neither fixes nor regulates bus fares because individual companies are free to fix their own fares.
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