The Transport Industry Opportunities

The transport industry in Zimbabwe could be the biggest industry in the country and employing thousands of people if managed properly. At the moment the transport industry is run by the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO) and many registered and unregistered private buses, combies (mini buses) and cars. Since the transport industry is mostly run informally, there is no customer care and the taxi operators can be expensive with no set prices. The problems have also left gaps in the industry as some places are left with no transport at all or the transportation available goes there three times a week especially in Matabeleland. It leaves a huge opportunity for people that want to be part of the transport industry.

 

Matabeleland has one of the biggest tourist attractions in the world, the Victoria Falls and Hwange national park, and other areas like Matopos national park, Kudu land, Bulawayo itself and many more areas. Bulawayo is the second largest city in Zimbabwe and one of the major cities in Matabeleland but the transportation to tourist attractions is a headache. The Bulawayo city council and the local government once stressed the need for investment in the transport industry when they visited the United Kingdom. An article by LuZibo Media House on the 22 of June 2020 also highlighted the opportunities that are there in the industry.

 

Cheaper domestic airlines are needed in Bulawayo, especially to tourist destinations like Victoria Falls and Hwange. This would help to improve tourism around the country. At the moment when people want to leave or go to the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport they have to go there by private car or taxi and taxies usually over charge people. There is no transportation company that officially collects people to and from Bulawayo city Centre and the airport. At the moment if one does not own a car and wants to travel to tourist destinations around the city, one has to book with a travel agency, or look for group travel agencies or hire a car. Travel agencies for domestic travel makes it expensive and hiring a car is generally very expensive in Zimbabwe.

 

There are gaps in the city transportation industry that need to be filled. Bulawayo has transport from the city centre to homes but to get transport, for example that takes people from Hillside to Riverside is not there. One has to Hike from Hillside to the Central Business District (CBD) then proceed to Riverside. Also, there is no transport that takes one straight from the Eastern Suburbs to Western Suburbs, everyone needs to go via CBD. Even when one is catching a taxi, they have to catch it in town unless if one has a taxi driver’s number. Also, in the rural areas buses for example do not travel there every day. For example, In Matabeleland South, buses travel to St Joseph’s three times a week.

 

The transportation industry can be a very lucrative business with a potential of hiring plenty youths that are not employed. There are many untouched areas in the industry that can be very popular. For it to be very successful, roads need to be fixed and the country must techno forward.