Commuter Omnibus Operators (Kombi) whose vehicles were contracted by ZUPCO have said that the deal was offering some sense of security compared to the time they operated alone in an uncertain environment.
Speaking to the Daily News on Sunday on condition of anonymity some commuter omnibus operators said:
The issue of fuel is a problem to many transport operators, but with this deal, the 40 litres is a major boost.
For example, I was getting between $250 and $350 per day excluding money for fuel and other expenses before this deal, but now I am getting above $500, at the same time getting fuel for the trips I make for the day.
According to the operator, the payments of fixed amounts ranging between $500 and $1 500 per day for a minimum of 10 trips, depending on the routes are done twice a month, on the 14th and 30th.
These remarks come when the public transport sector is virtually collapsed and commuters are asking authorities to increase the number of the heavily subsidised ZUPCO buses to cushion them from the “exorbitant fares” they are charged by kombi operators.
Usually, when fuel prices go up and when it rains, kombi operators also review their prices up.
More: Daily News