TONDEKA METRO BUS IS A CASHLESS BUSINESS
The Tondeka Metro Bus project that is slated for September, 2020 will be operated as a cashless business, The Drone Media has gathered. Maurice Mukiibi, the official Public Relations Officer of tondeka, said that no driver or any other official of tondeka that will touch money in the course of transport transactions.
Mukiibi explained that unlike the previous transport businesses in Kampala, which got issues over cash; tondeka won’t meet such issues because it will use Tondeka Metro Cards. The cards are similar to bank’s ATMs (Automated Teller Machine). A passenger can choose to load a day’s charge or a week’s charge or a month’s charge.
Asked about the source of money, Mukiibi said that tondeka is formed by all transport stakeholders; individuals who have been running transport were invited into this project. He intimated that this was advice given by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who emphasized that people who were running taxi business should not be thrown out of business. All the bodies that were involved in taxi business and Kampala City transport business, are the stakeholders of tondeka.
Secondly, Ashok Leyland, a company that has been in this business for over 20 years, agreed to supply all the buses needed and on credit -basis. Mukiibi emphasized that the money is not from the government of Uganda.
Mukiibi also explained that tondeka has not yet been launched as the Mayor of Kampala City Council Authority, alleged. They are carrying out consultative meetings with stakeholders. A feasibility study was done and all possible challenges were identified and are being catered for.
Late last year the Ministry of Transport held a stakeholders’ meeting in the Public Sector to harmonize efforts to improve mobility within the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area.
The meeting followed a directive from President Yoweri Museveni to the Ministry of Finance to fast track the Tondeka Metro buses’ Initiative aimed at improving urban transport services in and around the capital city.
A total of 980 Ashok Leyland buses from Hinduja Group- India, will be imported initially to kick start a safe, reliable and affordable public transport system in metropolitan Kampala.
The buses which will be known as Tondeka, will initially ply Kampala-Mukono on Jinja Road, Kampala- Nsangi on Masaka Road, Kampala- Buloba on Mityana Road, Kampala- Wakiso on Hoima Road , Kampala
On the other hand, Hinduja Group, renown manufacturers of the Leyland brand are expected to manage a robust cashless system which will see passengers for the first time in the history of Urban transport in Uganda use Radio Frequency Identification Cards (rfid-Cards) to swipe their way on board.
“Passengers will load money on their bus card and simply swipe it to be granted access. The buses will not be handling cash. Passenger fares will range from Sh1,200 for a single route card, Sh3,500 for a daily travel card, Sh1,8000 for a weekly card and Sh55,000 for a monthly travel card,” said Maurice Mukiibi