Stakeholders for TRL Dar city commuter trains propose 400/- fare

STAKEHOLDERS of the Tanzania Railway Limited (TRL) coaches plying the Dar es Salaam Railway Station and Pugu Station have proposed a fare of 400/- instead of the recommended 600/-.

They said the recommended 600/- fare by TRL will continue imposing hardships on the people using the transport mode, most of who are in the low-income category.

The remarks were made yesterday by the Executive Secretary of SUMATRA Consumer Consultative Council (SCCC), Dr Oscar Kikoyo, during a public meeting to collect views from stakeholders on the TRL-recommended fare. The public meeting was organised by the Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (SUMATRA).

Dr Kikoyo said TRL should consider the fact that its trains provide services – not making profit - adding that they were part of the transport solution in the city, especially for residents of Gongo la Mboto.

“Normally, train transport should be cheaper than buses because it takes in more passengers at a particular time ... however, the recommendation presented by TRL shows that it is more expensive than an ordinary ‘daladala’,” he noted.

He said the SUMATRA-CCC proposed 400/- for adults and 100/- for students to portray the true objective of providing low cost transport, stressing that revenue collected should be controlled by the company to curb loses.

The Public Relations Officer of the association that defends the rights of passengers, CHAKUA, Mr Francis Mugasa, said the association supported the proposed fare of 400/- for adults and 100/- for students, taking into consideration the realities of life for those using the mode of transport. He said the TRL recommended a fare of 600/- will cost the consumer 14,400/- per month compared to 10,800/- they would pay if using ‘daladala’.

Earlier, presenting the TRL fare proposal, TRL Acting General Manager Shaaban Kiko said train transport will be part of commuting solution in the city because it has a capacity to carry 13,350 passengers, who would have otherwise been carried in 378 buses.

He said current expenses stands at 9.7m/- and with passengers paying 600/- and students 100/-, TRL will collect 7.4m/-. “For TRL to run without getting any profits or losses, passengers will need to pay 785/- and children 261/-.”