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BRT International Even a brief survey of planned or existing BRT lines around the world reveals that in virtually every corner of the globe, cities are increasingly looking to Bus Rapid Transit as a viable transit solution. DART, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (Construction estimated in 2007) In the city of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, public transportation actually consists of about 9,000 independently owned paratransit buses, or “daladalas,” which collectively provide one million trips per day in this rapidly growing city of 2.5 million. The daladala system developed in the 1970s after the city was unable to provide adequate service. So named because of the typical fare of 5 Tanzanian shillings is equivalent to a U.S. dollar (“dala”), daladalas were initially illegal, but proved so popular despite the high fares that the government eventually began regulating the system in 1983. In the absence of transit planning or adequate oversight, the system has become overburdened and suffers from undertrained drivers and a poor safety record. In 2003, the city announced a plan to develop a world class BRT system called DART (Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit). The World Bank awarded the city $1 million in April 2005 to finance detailed design and planning. Aided by some of the same designers who worked on Transmilenio, DART has embraced a comprehensive vision of a modern, environmentally-friendly BRT system that will be affordable, will integrate and professionalize the daladala drivers, and will create a more livable city. The City is soliciting public and private funding and may be able to commence construction this year. Upon completion, DART will be the first BRT system in Africa.
Present-day public transit in Dar Es Salaam. Courtesy of www.gobrt.org. Artist’s rendering of Dar es Salaam proposed DART system. Copyright 2006, Luc Nadal. |
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