04 Jul 2016

The station manager for Molepolole Department of Road Transport and Safety (DRTS) has urged transport operators and consumers to always share challenges with his office in order to help find ways to ensure smooth operations.

Speaking during an induction workshop in Molepolole last week, Mr Andrew Paledi said it is important that the Molepolole local transport association works jointly with DRTS, sharing not only challenges but also suggestions in order to meet both their needs and those of the consumers.

Mr Paledi said challenges faced include state of roads in Molepolole, road safety and operation regulations for both buses and taxis. He also explained that taxis have no scheduled routes but are a door to door operation service.

It was also indicated that bus operators have a tendency of abandoning passengers staying in small villages along and between routes in their permits  the situation he said is a breach of regulations that expect transporters to ferry all commuters along routes on the permits.

Assistant chairperson for Molepolole Transport Association Mr Mosamarea Gasefetoge suggested that the current roads act be reviewed since its regulations are mostly about cities but not villages.

Another concern raised by bus operators was private seven-seater vehicles ‘pirating’ passengers along the Gaborone-Molepolole road.

When responding, Paledi advised taxi operators to abide by  permit regulations and also to share local routes among themselves. He said the transport association should engage and find solutions to curbing piracy on the local routes.

For his part, council chairman for Kweneng District Council, Mr Jeffrey Sibisibi said the new bus terminus is still on its liability period and that it is best to starting using it in order to enable them identify faults early for the engineers to correct them while on liability period.

He also announced that the Bye-Law Department has already moved to its offices at the new bus terminus, adding that the transport association will have offices. ENDS