East African Business Week

KAMPALA UGANDA-There is an up coming concern among bus service providers on the decreasing number of bus passengers travelling upcountry.
The fear was raised following a continuous increase in fuel prices where prices have now shot up to Shs3500 a litre ($ 1.5) from shs 3200 ($1.3).
Mr. Allan Asiimwe, the manager of Rubanda coaches in Kampala says much as the business is seasonal , the lowest number of passengers has been recorded this time round as the majority are resorting to saving their money rather than spending it.
"It has become that bad in that most times we are forced to take less than 45 passengers on a 62 bus seater hoping to get a few passengers who most times are very few to fill up the bus,"Asiimwe told East African Business Week in an interview.
The up country bus transport fares which were originally at an average price of shs 15, 000 ($ 6) at the beginning of January this year have now been increased to shs20,000 ($ 8).
Asiimwe on the other hand says that because of the increasing inflation in the country, they are at times considerate especially to passengers who heartily bargain for a price reduction.
Mr. Jackson Okwir, a regular business traveler on the one of the Kampala coaches also adds that he is grateful to the conductors during this period since the inflation rate is affecting every body in the country.
"There are times though when I have many goods to transport up country when I bargain with the conductors to at least reduce the price and my request falls on deaf ears. So what I decided to do is to travel once a month and not thrice as I used to since I did not want to adopt the bargaining trend," Jackson said.
Mr. Ronald Matsiko, a booking clerk at Perfect coaches, however, hopes that the situation will return to normal especially after the end of the Libyan crisis which is affecting the fuel prices.