Dar es Salaam — CASH remains overwhelmingly king across Tanzania's public transport sector, with electronic transactions accounting for only 6.8 per cent of fares collected over the past four years, official data show.

Land Transport Regulatory Authority (LATRA) Director General Habibu Suluo said yesterday that 62.18 million passengers were recorded through online ticketing systems during the four-year period, of whom 59.27 million, equivalent to 95.3 per cent, paid their fares in cash. Only 2.91 million passengers, or 4.7 per cent, used digital payment channels, he said.

In monetary terms, cash payments accounted for 1.99tri/- of the 2.13tri/- collected, while electronic payments amounted to 144.28bn/-, representing 6.8 per cent of the total.

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The figures highlight the gap between the policy drive towards digital payments and their adoption across the transport sector, despite requirements for electronic transactions in several services.

The requirements, backed by the Electronic Transactions Act (Cap. 442), cover bus rapid transit services, long distance buses, ferries and ride-hailing platforms.

Mr Suluo acknowledged the challenges of increasing digital adoption, but said operators and the government were gradually recognising the transparency benefits of electronic payment systems.

Beyond digital payments, LATRA reported significant growth in the regulated transport sector during the sixth phase government's tenure.

Commercial vehicle licences increased by 146.1 per cent, from 239,953 in 2021/22 to 590,468 in 2025/26, he said.

The number of buses connected to LATRA's Vehicle Tracking System also rose from 5,979 to 14,743 during the same period.

Turning to road safety during the rainy season, Mr Suluo urged transport stakeholders to prepare for anticipated El Niño rains and ensure vehicles were properly maintained before starting journeys.

He said vehicle owners should pay particular attention to braking systems, tyres, lights, windscreens and windscreen wipers.

"Heavy rains could cause flooding, water to overflow across roads, slippery surfaces, soil erosion, landslides and rockfalls, damage to roads, strong winds and fog, all of which could compromise road safety," he said.

Mr Suluo urged drivers to avoid flooded areas, particularly where water was flowing rapidly or its depth was unknown and to reduce speed and increase following distances during rain, fog and other periods of poor visibility.

He also advised drivers to exercise greater caution in areas affected by landslides, erosion, cracks or damaged road edges.

Passengers, he said, should check weather forecasts and road-condition updates before travelling and avoid unnecessary journeys during heavy rains.