City Of Kigali, RURA In Public Transport Improvement Drive

The City of Kigali and the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA) have announced plans to improve public transport in Kigali City.

According to city authorities, the improvements are in accordance with the Public Transport Policy and Strategy for Rwanda.

The public transport reforms are slated to take effect from August 30, 2013 and will see four companies licensed to operate in four separate zones to put to end the city public transport dilemma.

The exercise is also aimed at redesigning public transport routes in order to reduce distances walked by passengers to the nearest bust stop.

I will also increasing reliability of public transport services through establishment of scheduled public transport services.

Other outcomes of the exercise will be encouraging the use of modern, smart and bigger buses appropriate for public transport along congested trunk roads in the City of Kigali, and putting in place a clear and favorable regulatory framework that encourages investment in public transport as a lucrative sector in the City of Kigali.

City authorities say that the City of Kigali has been divided into five public transport zones. Operators will bid for four public transport zones where as the fifth zone which is made up of the Central Business District shall be a neutral zone where public transport vehicles from the other four zones shall meet.

“Public transport zones are made up of trunk routes which are routes emanating from each zone heading towards the Central Business District, intra-zone routes which are routes within a given public transport zone and inter-zone routes which are routes connecting two different public transport zones.

Along trunk routes, the allowed minimum size of a public transport vehicle is a 25 seater where as on intra-zone and inter-zone routes the allowed minimum size of a public transport vehicle is an 18 seater; Buses operating on routes of a given routes must have the same color that is different from that of the other zones;

According to RURA, successful bidders shall apply fares that have been set by the authority and sign a five year operational contract with the City of and RURA.

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