150 New Commuter Bus Permits Issued to Address Transport Disruption in Dar es Salaam

Dar es Salaam – The Land Transport Regulatory Authority (Latra) has issued permits to 150 new commuter buses, commonly known as daladala, in a move aimed at easing passenger flow and improving public transport services in Dar es Salaam following recent disruptions to Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) operations.

The October 29 unrest saw vandalism of infrastructure including BRT stations and buses, prompting the government to suspend services until further notice.

The Morogoro Road corridor was most affected by the vandalism, while portions of the Kilwa Road corridor also sustained damage.

Following the destruction, the government announced a temporary suspension of BRT services after infrastructure on phases one and two of the system was damaged.

Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Albert Chalamila directed Latra to issue temporary permits to ensure transport services continue along the two affected routes.

"We are suspending the service to assess the extent of the damage caused. The gate systems have been destroyed. We are directing Latra to issue temporary permits to ensure transport services continue along the two affected routes," he said.

Latra’s Head of Communications and Public Relations, Salum Pazzy, confirmed the 150 buses will add to the existing 148 buses on the Morogoro Road route, bringing the total number to 298.

"A technical assessment conducted by the authority showed that 150 additional buses were necessary to supplement the existing fleet. If demand increases, we will issue more permits to allow additional daladalas," he stated.

Each minibus will have a seating capacity of 26 passengers.

Pazzy explained that Latra has consistently ensured public transport continues uninterrupted, even when BRT routes are introduced or adjusted.

"Even when buses were deployed to operate along Morogoro Road, we did not withdraw the 148 daladala that were already assigned to their respective routes. They have continued to support passenger transport and complement BRT services," he noted.

The authority says the decision is part of ongoing efforts to ensure reliable and efficient public transport, especially during peak travel periods and route adjustments.

For BRT Phase Two, Latra’s Director General Habibu Suluo said the authority was not considering issuing additional permits for daladala along the corridor, as the extent of infrastructure vandalism there was not as severe as in Phase One.

"The Mbagala route has not been heavily affected, so we do not expect to issue new daladala permits since the only station that was slightly damaged is the one at Mbagala," he said.

Officials report that three buses were completely destroyed in the incidents. Repairs to damaged infrastructure are expected to begin soon to allow for the resumption of normal BRT operations.