Taxi operators reinstate fares

KIGALI - City commuter taxi operators have reinstated the normal transport fares, in compliance with the government’s order to charge Rwf 180 on city routes and Rwf150 from the city centre to Nyamirambo.

Monday, August 30, 2010

KIGALI - City commuter taxi operators have reinstated the normal transport fares, in compliance with the government’s order to charge Rwf 180 on city routes and Rwf150 from the city centre to Nyamirambo.

Speaking to The New Times, passengers at Kwa Rubangura bus stop said they were happy with the decision to deducted the Rwf 50 which had been added as a way to reduce congestion during rush hour.

"Commuters were available before but they wanted to compete with other operators like KBS and International Agencies who charge Rwf 200,”said Bunyezi Nzajyibwami, a conductor on the City Centre - Remera line.

A passenger said the deduction benefited them. "From here to my home in Rubirizi I’ll only pay 200 Rwf while before I was obliged to give 300 Rwf.”

Another conductor, Francçois Rugambage said that the decision has impacted positively on the sector.

"Taxis aren’t exceeding five minutes to get the required number of passengers, however, we used to wait for10 minutes and now the reason you don’t see many passengers is that they have not yet been informed of the revision”, he said.

However by the time, The New Times visited the taxi terminal a number of passengers had queued up with only one commuter available.

The Minister of Infrastructure announced last week that all bus operators were required to restore to the original fares. He revealed that government would solve the problem of congestion by providing more buses during rush hour to ferry passengers.

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