KARACHI: Another 7 firms keen to operate large buses
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, May 5: Seven more entrepreneurs are willing to bring 280 large buses to the existing fleet of 104 for the city by September.
Officials sources in the Transport and Communications Department (TCD) of the city government said that seven companies have signed agreements with the TCD under its urban transport scheme (UTS). They said with the addition of 280 buses, the total number of large buses would be 384 and efforts would continue to attract more investors.
They said that Karachi Green Bus Company was operating 28 large buses, Allied Bus Services 36, Worldwide Motors 30 and Al-Aziz Transport Co. 10 buses. The operators were obliged to bring at least 25 buses under the UTS and the existing companies were also asked to bring more buses.
They said that Airport Limousine Service was willing to ply 25 large buses, The Merchants 25, AMWAJ Corporation 25, Tans-Livia 50, QFS International 32, Neelam Corporation 25 and Hilton Trans 50 buses.
However, the performance of the existing operators were not satisfactory, the officials said and added that the Green Bus Company had brought 28 large buses from China about one year back. Of these, 19 buses were out of order and the company was operating only with seven buses on road.
The company had been warned to improve its service and maintenance of buses. The company had assured the TCD officials that 10 buses had been repaired and would be on roads in three or four days. The remaining buses were being repaired and would be operative soon, the officials added.
In view of the poor performance, there was a need for putting a strict check on the service providers under the UTS. The sources said that a vigilance committee, headed by the district officer of public transport had been formed. The DDO Terminal, the DDO Revenue and the DSP Traffic would be its members.
The committee had discussed the mandatory requirement of documentation of the existing operators, including fitness certificates, route permits, etc. It warned the operators to strictly follow rules and regulations and avoid overloading. The committee observed that the loading capacity of buses had been defined by their respective manufacturers which was supposed to be a yardstick.
Hino had defined the seating and standing capacity as 75 passengers, Nissan - 100, Isuzu - 100, and Fau (Chines green bus) - 70. They had been also advised to display fare table and route-map issued by the road transport authority.
Besides, they were asked to complete the loop as allotted to them, issue tickets, stop their buses at designated stops, make their drivers and conductors to wear uniform, and carry out proper maintenance of their vehicles.
The committee also advized them to bring a replacement of a faulty buses, if it could not be repaired within a reasonable time, the sources added. It has been observed that the operators under the UTS had done nothing to change the existing transport culture.
The buses under the UTS stops wherever a passenger signals them even in the middle of the road. These buses do not stop to lift or drop passengers but keep on moving slowly like other smoke-emitting buses.
