TAZARA launches hi-tech cargo, train information system

With the new modern hightech initiative, Tanzania is now becoming the first in East and Central Africa to have the technology, according to TAZARA Regional Manager Fuad Abdallah.

The system was officially launched at TAZARA headquarters in Dar es Salaam, with the Minister of Works, Transport and Communication, Professor Makame Mbarawa officiating. According to Mr Abdallah, the new project is dedicated to transportation and cargo flow management performance by introducing location-based Transportation Management System (TMS) to main freight routes in Tanzania- Zambia economies.

“The authority is also able to view all train details, including total number of wagons attached in, load and unload status, origin and destination stations, train total weight, length, item description, total invoice cost, train current position and status,’’ he said.

Mr Abdallah who was demonstrating to the minister how the new system operates, said TAZARA will also be able to track locomotive fuel consumption for individual driver with the actual distance covered and that the fuel consumption records can be viewed in a range of dates specified.

“We can view all invoice details including consignee, loading and offloading date, origin and destination stations, item description, cost and status,’’ he added. In his directives to TAZARA, Prof Mbarawa asked the management to be cautious on unscrupulous officials to avoid sabotage of the system through tampering.

Apart from commissioning the advanced cargo informationSYSTEM, the minister launched two refurbished mainline locomotives that were not operating after they broke down following an accident and ten hopper wagons that remained dormant due to accident for ten years.

According to Prof Mbarawa, the government decided to refurbish the ten wagons at Mbeyabased TAZARA workshop at 167m/-, saving about 17bn/- that could have been spent in procurement of the ten brand new wagons.

Meanwhile, the minister directed TAZARA Managing Director Bruno Chingandu to look on the possibilities of reducing the number of top managers to trim down operational costs spent in their salaries and other stipends.

He said there were between 10 and 15 top bosses who actually perform duties that can be done by six people. “You need to look on mechanisms to reduce untenable expenditures so that you can use the money to implement other important projects, including purchase of locomotives,’’ he said.

Earlier, TAZARA MD said the performance of his authority had improved tremendously with transit time reduced from over 30 days to between five and seven days. Tonnage has also increased by 94 per cent, he said, adding that the authority was now contributing to state coffers through payment of various taxes and other legal obligations.

Source: Daily News

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