Dar es Salaam implemented an excellent bus rapid transit (BRT) system able to carry 200,000 people a day. It has really changed people’s lives, cutting travel times for a one-way commute from two hours to 45 minutes.

In most of the large cities in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda the majority of commuters are using sustainable modes. They are either going by public transport, walk, or cycle. But most people use these modes out of necessity. In many cases, walking and cycling come with risks in terms of road safety and polluted air. Public transport is often unreliable and unsafe. Vehicles and stops are crowded. So, people are upgrading to private vehicles as soon as they have the money.

The BRT system implemented in Dar es Salaam dedicates unique lanes to a bus system that provide metro-like services. By incorporating the features of a metro system such as rapid boarding and dedicated right of way, BRT systems can, for a fraction of the cost of a metro, transport almost the same number of people.

The implementation of the BRT in Dar es Salaam has reduced travel, whilst reducing resource consumption by replacing other transportation means less resource efficient, such as private cars. Further efforts are being made to secure benefits for the poor and increase women’s safety.

Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash