Buses plead for weighbridge fast lane

Cross-Border bus operators are calling for passenger buses to be fast-tracked at Namibian weighbridges to avoid delays caused by long truck queues.

The operators say buses are often forced to queue behind cargo trucks, sometimes for long periods, delaying scheduled departure and arrival times and inconveniencing passengers.

Timboon Coaches, which operates between Zimbabwe and Namibia through Zambia and Katima Mulilo, has asked the Ministry of Works and Transport to introduce a priority system for passenger buses at weighbridges.

Operations manager Phibion Taphuma says buses are often forced to queue in lines that sometimes stretch for several kilometres.

“Sometimes it can even take two hours in the queue,” he says.

According to him, countries such as Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa allow passenger buses to proceed immediately without having to join the queue.

He says delays can be especially difficult for children and pregnant women, who may spend hours waiting at weighbridges.

“We are forced to abide by the rules of the land, but time matters.

Our customers travel for interviews, if we are delayed at the weighbridge, they will not make it,” he said yesterday.

Taphuma proposed that a separate queue be made available for buses to proceed directly to weighbridges while trucks remain in their queues.

He said priority access should not affect mandatory weighing, roadworthy checks or other safety requirements.

“The measure would improve cross-border transport efficiency, reduce delays and support regional connectivity and tourism,” Taphuma said.

The company is asking the ministry to issue guidance or a directive to weighbridge authorities to facilitate the proposed priority system.

“We are law-abiding citizens, but can the minister please consider us?” he asked.

Mbishi Transport, which operates passenger services to South Africa, has raised a similar concern.

Transport manager Matias Tuhafeni yesterday asked why passenger buses have to wait behind heavy trucks when they do not carry the same loads.

“Especially the weighbridge in Windhoek, it takes really long. I don’t know if the line is too small, but it is really slow,” he said.

Tuhafeni said the longest he has spent at a weighbridge was about an hour.

“You would find 10 trucks in the queue and you must follow them.

Imagine a passenger standing at a weighbridge for about an hour when they should be on the road. We really delay them and it’s a problem,” he said.

Oasis and Intercape did not respond to questions at the time of going to print.

Transport minister Veikko Nekundi yesterday said transport operators have not raised the matter with him before and advised them to bring the issue to his attention.

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