The Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO) is set to extend its franchise to urban commuter omnibus operators in Bulawayo with a meeting between the transport utility and kombi operators interested in the scheme pencilled for Wednesday.
In a telephone interview from Harare on Monday, ZUPCO acting Chief Executive Officer Evaristo Madangwa revealed that the company agrees with the kombi operator will ferry passengers at the gazetted ZUPCO fare. He said:
What happens is that Zupco agrees on a certain amount with the vehicle owner say for a week or a day, which is fixed and then the kombi is used to ferry people at the gazetted Zupco fare which is subsidised. The kombi owner provides his driver while we bring our own conductor for purposes of transparency.
Last week, ZUPCO made a similar arrangement with some kombi operators in Harare, with the initiative being well-received by the commuting public.
Kombis operating under the ZUPCO franchise charge $2 for a trip that is pegged at $5 by operators who are not on the scheme.
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