The Sunday News
Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor
THE Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) has redeployed all its intercity buses to ply urban routes after the government’s ban on intercity travel as part of measures in the enhanced level four national lockdown.
President Mnangagwa on Tuesday extended the lockdown by a further two weeks as part of measures to contain the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
As part of the lockdown provisions, the government has since banned intercity travel.
In statement Zupco revealed that there had since adopted a number of neasures that will see their buses and omnibuses Covid-19 friendly which will include temperature checks and constant sanitization.
The bus company said the redeployment of their intercity fleet was to increase carrying capacity and efficiency in the urban routes.
“We will operating under curfew guidelines, our buses will be deployed as per scheduled timetables, sanitisatisation of passengers, temperature checks and enhancement of mask wearing.
“We will be liaising with law enforcement agents in order to enhance Covid-19 protocols. We encourage commuters visiting the Central Business District for any business other than employment to travel between 8.39am and 3.30pm. This will avoid congestion and overcrowding at our bus termini during peak hours,” reads the statement.
The company further official announced the reduction of their bus fares, revealing that for a distance of up to 20 kilometres passengers will pay $40 for a bus and $60 for Zupco kombis, for a distance of between 20 kilometres and 30 kilometres for buses passengers will now $60 and $80 for omnibuses while for distances of up to 40 kilometres passengers will fork out $80.
“In addition to our previous payment methods we have introduced pre-ticketing system to avoid delays in dispatching our buses,” reads the statement.
