Stagecoach is continuing its drive to help improve road safety standards in Africa by donating a third bus to be used for vital driver training.
The transport group, based in Perth, has now provided two vehicles to the National Institute of Transport (NIT) in Tanzania and one to the Industrial Training Centre (ITC) in Zambia. The buses – which have been provided through Stagecoach’s strong partnership with international development charity Transaid – are crucial to the provision of driver training in both countries.
The latest vehicle to be donated is expected to arrive in Tanzania on 23 December and will be used by the NIT, which is based in the largest city of Dar es Salaam and provides practical driver training for bus and lorry drivers in a bid to reduce the number of road crashes in Tanzania.
In the first quarter of 2011, over 6000 road crashes were recorded in Tanzania, claiming more than 800 lives. The city of Dar es Salaam is extremely congested and the Government is introducing a bus rapid transit system which will consist of dedicated bus lanes. As a result, around 1000 drivers need to be trained to operate the new bus system safely.
Stagecoach Highlands Driving Instructor Neil Rettie was last year appointed Project Manager of Transaid’s Professional Driver Training Project in Tanzania. He is now mid-way through a two year secondment to improve the quality and delivery of practical elements of the driver training course. He is also working closely with the NIT, the Tanzanian Government and bus associations to create and implement an improved driver training curriculum.
Gary Forster, Chief Executive of Transaid said “We are hugely grateful to Stagecoach for their continuing support of this vital project. This latest vehicle donation will provide much-needed additional training capacity and will help the Professional Driver Training Project to ensure that trainees receive more practical experience as part of their training.”
Stagecoach UK Bus Managing Director Les Warneford said: “We are proud of our long-standing partnership with Transaid and we are pleased to be able to assist the driver training project through the provision of these three vehicles.
“Improved driver training is vital if we are to reduce the number of road crashes in both Tanzania and Zambia, and we hope that these buses – as well as the important work being done by Neil in Tanzania – will go some way to help raise road safety standards in these countries.”
Road crashes are the third highest cause of premature death in Africa after HIV/AIDS and malaria. In Zambia, the Road Transport and Safety Agency estimates that road accidents cost the country around £167million each year, which equates to around 3% of Zambia’s GDP. Many road crashes can often be attributed to poor driving skills and poor vehicle maintenance which Transaid’s project is trying to address.
For further information about Stagecoach UK Bus, visit www.stagecoachbus.com
For more info on Transaid projects visit www.transaid.org
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