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Buses night travel time extended
2008-07-11 09:49:32
By Guardian reporter
Night travelling time for up-country buses has been extended up to midnight in what traffic police say is an effort to minimise inconveniences travellers have been experiencing.
Previously, up-country buses were restricted from traveling after 10 pm.
Speaking to reporters in Dar es Salaam yesterday, Traffic Police Commander James Kombe said the decision was reached in consultation with the Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (Sumatra).
Kombe said the decision was arrived at during a recent seminar which was attended by Sumatra staff and regional traffic officers in Morogoro.
He said under the new arrangement, all long route buses would be piloted by two drivers.
``All buses across the country will be required to arrive at the last bus stand at 12 pm,`` he said, adding, ``This will help minimise the spending of long nights while traveling for passengers.`
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He, however, cautioned the drivers to be watchful during night trips.
Under the new arrangement, no driving licence will be issued to a passenger bus driver aged less than 30 years or who is more than 60 years of age.
In addition, Kombe said all passenger bus drivers would be required to hold grade C licences.
He said long distance buses would be required to have two drivers to avoid having one driver sitting behind the wheel for more than eight hours.
The government banned up-country buses from travelling at night in 1993 in a bid to reduce road accidents.
Despite the ban, reckless drivers have continued causing deaths to innocent passengers in unending road carnages.
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