transportation system
Tanzania’s transportation system is terrifying. Not only because of the rate of road accidents and fatalities, but also because no one does anything about it. The regular means of public transportation is the daladala, a mini van that they cram to maximum capacity (so that people are standing and sometimes even hanging out the door), whose conductors fight (sometimes physically) over passengers, and whose drivers play passing games with each other. Some are so old and worn down that the seats are coming apart and the conductor has to hold the door on. They are not reliable or punctual at all – they will wait at the bus stand until they have a full car (which, depending on the time and where you are going, can take an hour or more) and twice now I have been on one when it ran out of gas.
The larger, inter-city buses are even worse. Most lines also cram people in until they are standing (at a reduced fare, of course). This is illegal, but when stopped at police checkpoints, all it takes is a little cash, and they are on their way again. For some incomprehensible reason, the bus drivers do not bother to service the buses before assuming responsibility for several dozen people’s lives. Easter weekend was a perfect example. On our way to the Usambara Mountains, my friends and I saw a baby girl’s skin burned right off her body when one of the radiator pipes came loose and scalding water and steam poured down the bus’ steps. On our way home, winding down the narrow roads with steep cliffs on one side and mountain rock on the other, our bus ran out of brake fluid. This was unbeknownst to most of the passengers at the time, most likely to avoid panic, but to get us down the hill to the nearest gas station, the driver used a mixture of clothing detergent and water as a substitute.
They drive extremely recklessly, driving dangerously fast and passing every car driving a reasonable speed. Just a few weeks ago, a coach driver misjudged his ability to overtake a tanker and ended up killing 25 people (many of them school children returning from Easter break) trying to avoid a head-on collision. They drive so fast, it would be impossible to avoid an accident if the car in front stopped suddenly or something happened to run out into the road. And if anything goes wrong while you are in the bus, it would be difficult to get out – the windows are tiny and hard to open, there is little leg room, the bus is crammed full with people standing and sitting in the aisles, and there are often suitcases and sacks of various things all over the place. Many buses are essentially a death trap if anything happens.
It’s a scary experience, traveling in Tanzania. I sat next to a man on a daladala once who was visibly frightened and extremely nervous. He kept watching the road and gripping the seat in front of him every time we passed another car or braked suddenly. This is a problem. One should not have to fear for their life every time they get in a bus. Nor should they have to put up with the extreme discomfort of the typical bus ride. And yet, people put up with it. Yes, they get angry when the driver does something dangerous and they yell at the conductors for waiting too long at a bus stop and they complain about the bus being too full. But, they keep getting on, keep paying the fare to risk their life, whether it’s going across the country or just going across town.
Yes, this is because they do not have many other options. There are a few bus lines that view safety as a priority and ensure that everyone has a seat and the driver drives at a safe speed, but these cost more (which is well worth it to me, but for many people, more than they are willing or able to pay) and they do not go everywhere you want to go. Traveling to certain places, like the Usambaras, you do not have much of a choice of bus lines, unfortunately. But why not? Why aren’t there more decent, safe buses in this country? Why aren’t people demanding this? Why don’t they refuse to get on a bus until it meets certain standards of quality and safety? There supposedly are regulations, but the acceptance of bribes makes them meaningless. Why don’t the police stop buses that are carrying too many passengers and refuse to let them continue, instead of pocketing the cash or writing up a ticket that is so inexpensive it makes it worth the risk to the drivers?
It doesn’t make sense to me, but I was raised as an American – taught that if something is not right, stand up and force a change. Tanzania’s history, however, has been one of accepting things as the way they are. As a result, Tanzanians have incredible patience and tolerance, but they lack that sense of injustice and activism that it takes to bring about social change. I wish more people understood that things can change, their lives can improve, if they would just do something about it. In the meantime, it’s safer to just walk.
The larger, inter-city buses are even worse. Most lines also cram people in until they are standing (at a reduced fare, of course). This is illegal, but when stopped at police checkpoints, all it takes is a little cash, and they are on their way again. For some incomprehensible reason, the bus drivers do not bother to service the buses before assuming responsibility for several dozen people’s lives. Easter weekend was a perfect example. On our way to the Usambara Mountains, my friends and I saw a baby girl’s skin burned right off her body when one of the radiator pipes came loose and scalding water and steam poured down the bus’ steps. On our way home, winding down the narrow roads with steep cliffs on one side and mountain rock on the other, our bus ran out of brake fluid. This was unbeknownst to most of the passengers at the time, most likely to avoid panic, but to get us down the hill to the nearest gas station, the driver used a mixture of clothing detergent and water as a substitute.
They drive extremely recklessly, driving dangerously fast and passing every car driving a reasonable speed. Just a few weeks ago, a coach driver misjudged his ability to overtake a tanker and ended up killing 25 people (many of them school children returning from Easter break) trying to avoid a head-on collision. They drive so fast, it would be impossible to avoid an accident if the car in front stopped suddenly or something happened to run out into the road. And if anything goes wrong while you are in the bus, it would be difficult to get out – the windows are tiny and hard to open, there is little leg room, the bus is crammed full with people standing and sitting in the aisles, and there are often suitcases and sacks of various things all over the place. Many buses are essentially a death trap if anything happens.
It’s a scary experience, traveling in Tanzania. I sat next to a man on a daladala once who was visibly frightened and extremely nervous. He kept watching the road and gripping the seat in front of him every time we passed another car or braked suddenly. This is a problem. One should not have to fear for their life every time they get in a bus. Nor should they have to put up with the extreme discomfort of the typical bus ride. And yet, people put up with it. Yes, they get angry when the driver does something dangerous and they yell at the conductors for waiting too long at a bus stop and they complain about the bus being too full. But, they keep getting on, keep paying the fare to risk their life, whether it’s going across the country or just going across town.
Yes, this is because they do not have many other options. There are a few bus lines that view safety as a priority and ensure that everyone has a seat and the driver drives at a safe speed, but these cost more (which is well worth it to me, but for many people, more than they are willing or able to pay) and they do not go everywhere you want to go. Traveling to certain places, like the Usambaras, you do not have much of a choice of bus lines, unfortunately. But why not? Why aren’t there more decent, safe buses in this country? Why aren’t people demanding this? Why don’t they refuse to get on a bus until it meets certain standards of quality and safety? There supposedly are regulations, but the acceptance of bribes makes them meaningless. Why don’t the police stop buses that are carrying too many passengers and refuse to let them continue, instead of pocketing the cash or writing up a ticket that is so inexpensive it makes it worth the risk to the drivers?
It doesn’t make sense to me, but I was raised as an American – taught that if something is not right, stand up and force a change. Tanzania’s history, however, has been one of accepting things as the way they are. As a result, Tanzanians have incredible patience and tolerance, but they lack that sense of injustice and activism that it takes to bring about social change. I wish more people understood that things can change, their lives can improve, if they would just do something about it. In the meantime, it’s safer to just walk.
posted by Ashley at
5:05 PM
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