COMMUTERS have called on ZUPCO to adjust timetables to cater for all workers as existing starting and finishing times and also expand on areas covered.

Currently the Zupco buses operate between 5am and 7pm, which affects those that finish work late or have to attend evening lessons at various colleges and universities, commonly known as adult learning

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Commuters want Zupco buses to operate 24/7 to cater for those who work different shifts as the current scenario assumes everyone works the traditional 8am-5pm shift.

When the cheap buses are off the road, kombis charge anything up to $5 for trips costing $1 on Zupco which affects most of the commuters who cannot afford.

Some end up jumping onto open trucks as a cheaper option to the kombis.

On Monday government announced the slashing of ZUPCO fares by 50 percent for both urban and rural travel whereby distances within 20km radius cost 50c (RTGS), 20km-30km now cost 75c while 30km to 40km is now $1.

This followed a decision to scrape support for fuel importers who were getting the US$ at 1:1 with the RTGS and now have to source the scarce currency from the interbank market.
Finance and Economic Development Secretary, George Guvamatanga said government decided to cushion the travelling public against fuel price hike.

Yesterday petrol was selling at $4.97 and diesel $4.87 at the prominent service stations, which triggered a hike in the privately owned commuter omnibuses, otherwise known as kombis.

“Please be advised that the Zupco bus fares on Operation Restore Sanity have been reduced by 50 percent from 21 May 2019. This has been necessitated by the need to cushion the travelling public,” said Guvamatanga. State media