HARARE - Loss-making Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) has approached the government with a plan for reviving the business after years of allowing the fleet to dwindle.The Zupco chief executive, George Chigora, told The Zimbabwean that his parastatal had approached the State Procurement Board for approval to buy more than 100 buses in a bid to improve services and win back customers from private transport companies.
We are looking at purchasing buses that are suitable for the local terrain and, if approved, the project would significantly boost our ailing fleet, he said. The State Procurement Board will then advise us from which company we should buy the buses.
Zupco wants to buy 65-seater buses capable of travelling on dust roads so that it can offer rural routes, which tend to be neglected by private operators. The buses would be bought in phases.
With more services, the company could be in a position to rehire staff it has had to let go. Chigora said: Zupco has employees that depend on the number of buses available, with a ratio of two drivers and two conductors per bus.
Post published in: Economy