Stop Pricing Cartels in Bus Services

ZAMBIA: THE Zambian Roads & Highway Safety Group (ZRHSG) is urging the Zambian Government to stop the pricing cartels within the public passenger bus sector and allow each bus operator to determine their own bus fares.

The Highway Safety Group has noted with concern the continued existence of this pricing cartel for many years that only benefit the bus owners and tend to hold to ransom public bus passengers who have no choice but to pay the fixed bus fare.

This pricing cartel has always left passengers disadvantaged as they have no choice when it comes to bus fares as all fares are pegged at the same cartel price and bus fare regardless of the type and standard of bus services being provided.

This pricing system also makes it hard for passengers to benefit from reduced fuel prices or increased competition in the passenger bus sector.

The Highway Safety Group notes that Zambia being a free-market economy should allow each and every public bus company to determine their own bus fares and pricing of the services they provide.

As things stand, the pricing cartel in the passenger bus sector is also stopping innovations in the provision of bus services as bus owners get rewarded even for the bad service they provide.

The Highway Safety Group, therefore, urges the Government through relevant line ministries like the Ministry of Transport, Commerce, and agencies like the Road Transport and Safety Agencies to review all old laws and policies that have led to these pricing cartels operating and freeing the passenger bus sector from manipulation and collusion. Let the passenger bus sector be treated to the same anti-price controls and price-fixing legislation.

The Highway Safety Group looks forward to safer, efficient, and cheaper modes of passenger transport as better and newer models of buses are introduced on our roads.