Passenger Transport Sector… Resilience Despite Grim Conditions
Gedarif – Al-Tayeb Ali
Experts in the passenger transport sector painted a grim picture of the sector’s condition due to the severe blows it has been suffering, especially the impacts of the war, rising operational and maintenance costs, and increasing taxes and fees.
A member of the National Chamber of Bus Owners, Salah Hamid, told Al-Ahdath that the transport sector is under threat of collapse due to the difficulties it faces. He pointed out the increase in departure fees for buses from Gedarif to Atbara from 26,000 to 76,000 Sudanese pounds, from Gedarif to Kassala from 9,000 to 26,000 pounds. Additionally, the price of a barrel of fuel increased from 520,000 to 570,000 pounds, and spare parts and tires saw unprecedented price hikes.
He acknowledged ongoing issues with the operation of bus routes, particularly the continued restrictions on buses, which has created a parallel market. “Although the Land Transport Law stipulates that buses should only operate within states, not between them, for safety reasons,” he added.
Despite the sector’s struggles, bus owners have kept ticket prices unchanged, with ticket prices from Gedarif to Kassala at 22,000 pounds, Gedarif to Port Sudan at 60,000 pounds, Gedarif to Atbara at 76,000 pounds, and from Sinnar to Gedarif at 35,000 pounds. For tickets via the “shara’eh” system, prices are Gedarif to Rabak at 80,000 pounds, and Gedarif to Managil at 120,000 pounds.
Hamid criticized the local authorities for not fulfilling their duties concerning market cleanliness, despite the fees collected. He also pointed to the significant role bus owners are playing in supporting the war effort, contributing one Sudanese pound from each ticket, which amounts to about 50,000 pounds per bus.
Furthermore, the Gedarif Bus Chamber donated 30 buses to transport returnees from Gedarif to Madani for free as part of the voluntary return process.
The Secretary-General of the National Transport Chambers, and Chairman of the Gedarif Bus Chamber, Omar Abdullah Al-Azraq, told Al-Ahdath that since the outbreak of the war, the state has borne a heavy burden in hosting returnees from other states in Sudan. He added that the state has hosted bus owners working in the Chamber’s lines, such as Gedarif-Halfa-Kassala and other lines operated by the Travel Buses Chamber. The Chairman of the National Bus Chamber in Sudan, Babiker Musa, is also in Gedarif.
He complained about the lack of organization in the Gedarif popular market, which needs better cleanliness services, lighting, shelters, and other improvements, noting that the fees collected have not been reflected in the development of services. He also pointed out the significant internal conflict between the Travel Buses Chamber, which has led to scattered efforts, calling for the need to address this for the public interest.
For his part, the Secretary-General of the National Bus Chamber, Babiker Issa, said that the recently liberated states in Sinnar and Gezira need some time to organize bus operations there. He also confirmed that they have not yet been able to fully assess the losses of the travel bus sector.
