Tension Between Minibus Operators and Passengers on New Hiked Prices and Number of People Per Seat

It still seems there is a disagreement between the minibus operators and passengers on minibus fares and number of people to be carried on every roll of the minibus seat.

Not long ago, minibus operators took to the streets to protest against some traffic laws and the end result saw the minibus fares being hiked, a thing that people agreed with – on condition that one roll of the minibus seat will now be occupying not more than three people.

It now seems minibus drivers and conductors are bleaching the agreement as they are still trying to be carrying 4 people on every seat and of course on the new hiked fares.

This has brought tension between the passengers and minibus operators such that other angry passengers are seen resisting to provide space for the fourth person, a situation that the minibus operators are revenging by not dropping any passenger on any improper (not designed by government) stage saying they are also following the traffic laws.

The writer of this article happened to be one of the passengers in a minibus where such quarrels had emerged yesterday, July 19 from Blantyre, Mibawa to Machinjiri, Luwanda.

About all the passengers in this minibus had disputed with the conductor whom after the minibus departed from town wanted to fill the seats with 4 people per roll upon reaching the Ndirande, Magalasi stage.

This angered passengers whom had already paid on the new hiked prices and they agreed not to let anyone in or else to be given back their money.

As a sign of anger, the conductor and his driver decided not to stop at any improper stage saying that they are also operating in accordance with the traffic laws.

But who is to blame and what should be done for boring situations like this to stop?

Luckily, all the passengers in this minibus where dropping at Luwanda which is a designed bus stage.