Pioneer Easy Bus To End Operations On Monday
Passengers lining up to board on of the buses
Transport service provider Pioneer Easy Bus Company has announced it could end its operations, following a disagreement with the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and Government over its contract terms.
According to a press notice, the company attributes this to failure to build bus lanes and stops along the city roads.
“The management of Pioneer Easy Bus therefore regrets to inform the public that effective Monday, 19th November 2012, Pioneer will not be in position to offer its services at the hitherto subsidized rates and thus our only options are to suspend our bus operations or charge for its services just like any service provider in the industry until such a time when Government/KCCA fulfills its contractual obligations,” a statement signed by Fred Senoga, the company’s managing director, read.
Since March 12, the bus service has been offering transport services after
Their arrival was greeted with relief by ordinary Ugandans due to the lower fares charged compared to other service providers like taxis. High fuel prices had caused transport fares to skyrocket.
However the recent months have seen the bus company embroiled in financial troubles in addition to questions over the contract it made with city authorities.
Last month, Pioneer Easy Bus employees went on strike demanding delayed salaries.
The company has since failed to pay sh6.5b in taxes to Uganda’s tax body, Uganda Revenue Authority in addition to failing to remit sh2.4b to Kampala Capital City Authority.
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the best thing is to turn the tax liability into a subsidy. this is how other countries do . we should avoid musisi’s emotional management of national issues. even the payments to KCCA should be suspended since there is no subsidy given to the company. that way the economy wont suffer. in any case KCCA provides no services to the general populace. this is the only way we can keep transport costs down in the city and the negative effects to the whole economy!!!!
Rwendo,
You seem to have enjoyed Boris’s buses in London. That is exactly what is done. The pioneer should be given a subsidy in order to help the poor. In any case taxis should go. I personally am tired of these taxi cheats.
it is a pity that the only tiny city bus service which was pro poor and decongesting city is closing!
Transport department is the area where the public needs to be protected and from the every start I though the Gov’t or City board should be the one to invest in this department. This provides fair employment especially if people work on shift basis, all routes would be covered equally, there are a lot of profits and it relieves the poor from private profit oriented business people among other viable reasons.
This would work side by side with private to improve the transport system in the city and country with ease. Unless you are in the system you can’t know the exact problems, profits, and answers the way they are.
They can create a transport department under City Authority or gov’t and make independent to support itself.
I know people will say it can’t happen, but in other countries its working out and there is nothing possible. We only need more people of Musisi’s character or better and we watch the space.
man if these buses stop operating we are going to suffer
I know its hard to begin but pioneer bus should be sure of making it in the long run.