Dar es Salaam — The government is setting up a system that will see buses plying bus rapid transit routes in Dar es Salaam use natural gas, a move that will cut fuel consumption by up to 40 per cent.
The Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) acting managing director, Mr Kapuulya Musomba, said in Dar es Salaam yesterday that the entire project will see at least 800 buses switch to natural gas.
"The University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) and Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology (DIT) are ready to install the natural gas systems on the vehicles. We are only waiting for the construction of infrastructures for phase two of the Dart project," he said.
As for the existing operator, the Dart chief executive, Mr Ronald Lwakatare, said he could not speak on his behalf, noting, however, that the system is there for every vehicle owner to install.
One needs between Sh1.6 million and Sh2 million to install the system on his/her vehicle depending on its size.
"Experts have told us that the use of natural gas would save between 30 to 50 per cent of what one spends on fuel. We therefore agreed that all coming Dart buses should use natural gas. This will also help cut fares significantly," he said.
He said the construction of infrastructure for Dart Phase Two is currently at its early stages with experts already conducting a feasibility study.
Currently, there is only one natural gas filling station, which is located at Ubungo Maziwa area.
A Dar es Salaam resident, Mr Ben Kisisiwe, who converted his vehicle from petrol to natural gas, said he currently spends Sh10,000 on a trip, thus saving at least Sh20,000.
However, he said that with only a single filling station for natural gas in the country, he sometimes finds it difficult to use his vehicle, calling upon TPDC to increase the number of filling centres and that they should be operational for 24 hours every day.
In response, Mr Musomba said that, the TPDC was in process of building the main gas distribution centre at the UDSM that will serve the entire city.
"We plan to use fuel filling petrol stations to distribute natural gas. This means motorist will be refill at any nearby petrol station," he said, noting that they have already struck a deal with Camel and Oilcom.
The deputy minister for Energy, Ms Subira Mgalu, pleaded with the TPDC to speed up the process of building the stations.
