(DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA) – School Term Opening Triggers Transport Shortages and Fare Increases
As the 2026 school term officially began today, many students and parents in Tanzania faced major transport challenges, particularly for journeys from Dar es Salaam to various regions across the country. The surge in travel demand coinciding with school reopening created widespread congestion at major bus terminals and led to higher fares.
At the Magufuli Main Bus Terminal, as well as smaller terminals in Manzese and Shekilango, there was heavy congestion on the eve of the school opening. Many of those scrambling for transport were parents escorting their children back to school. Passengers carrying luggage were seen moving between Manzese and Shekilango on motorcycle taxis, while others were forced to travel to the Magufuli terminal in search of any available bus, including informal connecting services, which were also scarce.
By late afternoon, some passengers had still not secured transport, making it impossible for them to attend the first day of school. Several schools officially reopened on January 5, adding urgency to the travel rush. The shortage was particularly acute for routes to Morogoro, Mbeya, Dodoma, Singida, southern highlands regions such as Iringa and Njombe, and northern regions including Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Tanga. Alongside the scarcity of buses, reports emerged of unregulated fare increases.
While passengers struggled, transport operators experienced a sharp turnaround. Many had recently reduced the number of buses on the road due to low passenger numbers, but the school reopening brought full vehicles and renewed business.
In response to recurring transport difficulties, some schools have adopted arrangements to hire buses that transport students collectively. Parents say this system reduces stress for students, many of whom do not travel with mobile phones, as school staff accompany them during the journey.
In addition to students travelling with their parents, regular passengers were also affected. The large number of students returning to school intensified competition for limited seats. Observers at the terminals throughout the day reported widespread confusion, including among students travelling to begin their first year of secondary school.
Transport challenges also affected the modern SGR train services to Morogoro and Dodoma. From Friday through to today, tickets were unavailable after being sold out well in advance.
Several passengers said the uncertainty caused significant stress, with many losing hope of securing transport due to the limited number of buses serving their destinations. Parents expressed concern that the delays were affecting children who were expected to report to school on time. Some said they regretted not travelling earlier.
Parents cited unstable incomes and social pressures as key reasons for failing to send children back to school ahead of time. January was described as a month with heavy financial and family obligations, further limiting their ability to plan and pay for travel in advance. Others noted that sending children early was difficult when schools had not yet opened or when there were no relatives available to receive them.
Gabriel Moshi, a parent trying to send his child to Morogoro, said many families rely on casual work and irregular income, making early planning difficult. He said parents often travel only when money becomes available, which contributes to delays.
Another parent, Sofia Lema, who was travelling with her child to Kilimanjaro Region, said buses had been full for several days. She added that a recent family bereavement had forced her to incur unexpected expenses, leaving her unable to send her child earlier. She said she was now continuing to search for transport and remained hopeful.
Agnes Lucky, who was taking a student to Dodoma, said she failed to secure an SGR train ticket and assumed she would easily get a bus seat. She said all the major bus companies she approached reported that their buses were already full, adding that advance booking would have helped if her income had been stable.
Another parent living in Dar es Salaam but with a child studying in Bukoba, Kagera Region, said their school had an arrangement to transport students collectively. She encouraged other parents to consider similar systems, noting that such arrangements are safer and supervised by school officials.
The travel surge also created opportunities for transport operators. No buses were travelling empty, and even smaller vehicles were fully utilised. For example, the normal fare from Dar es Salaam to Morogoro is about Sh10,000, equivalent to roughly 3.85 US dollars, but during the rush fares rose to between Sh15,000 and Sh20,000, or about 5.80 to 7.70 dollars.
One regional bus owner said operators were recovering losses after a period of low demand following heavy travel before early December. He said buses were now full on both outbound and return journeys, helping to reduce operating costs and improve profitability.
Despite the improved business for operators, passengers complained about arbitrary fare increases at the Magufuli terminal. Nelia Rugaza said tickets were being sold at different prices for the same destinations. She alleged that some passengers were persuaded by brokers to pay more due to claims of bus shortages.
Omary Mrisho said he waited more than four hours for transport to Ifakara without success. He said he arrived at the terminal early in the morning and was later asked to pay Sh65,000, or about 25 dollars, to be assisted in finding a bus, despite the official fare being Sh25,000, or about 9.60 dollars.
Another passenger, Muddy Limbu, travelling with his wife and infant child, said he had been at the terminal since early morning trying to find transport to Maswa. He alleged that a broker demanded Sh90,000, or about 34.60 dollars, even though the normal fare ranges between Sh65,000 and Sh70,000, or about 25 to 27 dollars.
Some passengers, however, had secured tickets earlier. Naomi Msangi, travelling to Mwanza with her son, said she already had a ticket and was only waiting for the bus to arrive.
Drivers acknowledged the strain, saying passengers who booked tickets early faced only minor delays, usually due to technical issues. Those attempting to travel on the same day without tickets faced severe difficulties, especially on high demand routes such as Morogoro.
Officials from the Land Transport Regulatory Authority said action is taken when formal complaints about illegal fare increases are lodged. The authority said buses found charging above approved fares face legal action, including fines and referral to the police. It added that inflating prices on electronic ticketing systems is an offence and attracts penalties.
