Bus operators complement govt efforts to implement policies in averting ‘bloody’ festive season

Harare – TRANSPORTERS have complemented government efforts to implement measures that go a long way in reducing road carnage,Express Mail Zim can report.

The transporters have taken it upon themselves to educate passengers on their rights including that of reporting bad driving behaviour to champion accident free roads

With the festive season upon us, where the majority are travelling to different places to be with their loved ones and relatives ,passengers’ rights have been identified as critical in reducing road carnage.

Most road carnages are prevalent during this time hence transporters on their part have also lined up a host of activities including servicing their buses, installing speed-limiting devices, and doing refresher courses for their drivers among others.

Stallion Vruise have taken the lead in championining the initiative.Their manager, Mr Noel Mutendereki, spent the better part of the day interacting with passengers and educating them about their rights.

Mr Mutendereki was in Harare speaking to several passengers who boarded their buses heading to various destinations.He assured the traveling masses that their fleet underwent rigorous tests.

“What we have done this holiday is to make sure that all our buses are well serviced to be roadworthy. But the most critical part today is that we are here where we are educating our passengers who are the main stakeholders in our business.

“We are educating them that they have rights as passengers including informing drivers to avoid behaving in a rogue manner as lives are sacred. We have put contact numbers for them to report any bad driving behaviour,” said Mutendereki.

Zimbabwe Public Transport Organisation (ZPTO) chairman Dr Sam Nhanhanga also weighed in discouraging even passengers from travelling drunk as they up being cheerleaders to the bus crew.

“Our main message today is that passengers should themselves avoid being drunk as they end up influencing drivers to drive recklessly. This holiday we are saying no to those passengers who want to cause confusion on our roads.

“We say to passengers let us behave, yes we know at times that they might be tired but let us behave. On our part as bus operators we are servicing our fleet,”he said.
Stallion Cruise boss Mutendereki dedicated time interacting with passengers and educating them on standard operating procedure.

He urged passengers to desist from cheering speed freak drivers as has been evidenced in videosof previous accidents that claimed lives.

Zimbabwe Republic Police have revealed that more than several lives have been lost in road carnage since the beginning of the festive season

Transport minister Felix Mhona recently announced that government was building a by- pass road just before Christmas Pass as you approach Mutare.