Surface and Marine Regulatory Authority (SUMATRA), Director of Road Transport Regulation Johansen Kahetano said the system will enhance revenue collections as commuter bus owners will have to pay government taxes in accordance with their daily ticket sells.
Kahetano noted that Sumatra had already launched a pilot project whereas 20 commuter buses in Dar es Salaam have been installed with the electronic devices. He said that upcountry passenger buses are likely to start using the Electronic Fiscal Device (EFD) by end of this year.
The director further said that among other things the decision aims to formalise the sector by ensuring that drivers are employed.
“The government has been losing a lot of revenues from the commuter services…the newly introduced electronic ticketing system means that taxes will be paid accordingly,” said Kahetano, adding that once the system is operational every driver must be employed.
He described that once a passenger buys a ticket through EFD a certain percentage of the money goes direct to the government.
Elaborating, he said the new ticketing system will also control prices as middlemen and other unscrupulous traders will not have chances of hiking the set fares. He said the electronic system will be synchronised with the owners so that they can directly monitor daily ticket sales.
According to the director the electronic system will control increases in fares caused by middle men as well as to control randomly selling of tickets.
Meanwhile, SUMATRA has issued a two –week ultimatum to commuter bus drivers and conductors to buy and wear new uniforms as directed by the authority.
Kahetano said traffic police will be inspecting every ‘daladala’ on the road, and that whoever found not wearing the new uniforms will be punished.
“Apart from putting on proper uniforms, drivers must ensure the buses are clean and in good condition”, he noted calling on police to take stern measures against anyone violating the rules.
Dar es Salaam Zonal Traffic Police Officer, Awadhi Haji insisted that drivers violating traffic regulations and the rules set by the authority will be punished.
Speaking on behalf of drivers Shaban Mndeme from the Tanzania drivers workers association (TADWU) appealed to the government to press vehicle owners to employ them
0 comments:
Post a Comment