The Addis Ababa City Administration Transport Bureau announced that it is intensifying administrative and legal enforcement measures to permanently curb illegal fare hikes, route shortening, and public grievances in the city's transport sector.
The Bureau stated that it is actively implementing strict penalties, including fines of up to 5,000 birr and potential license suspensions for repeat offenders, targeting drivers who overcharge passengers or violate transportation laws.
Dagne Shiferaw, Deputy Head of the Bureau's Operations Sector, explained that while fulfilling its responsibility to study and enact public transport tariffs, the bureau is closely and continuously monitoring the practical implementation of these rates on the ground.
Out of the more than 15,000 public transport vehicles providing daily service across the city, the vast majority operate legally, though minorities are confirmed to be inconveniencing the public for personal gain.
To combat these illegal practices, administrative and legal actions were taken against more than 120,000 transport drivers who broke the rules during the past fiscal year alone.
Among these drivers, 25 percent were apprehended for charging above the legal tariff, while the remaining vast majority was penalized for route shortening, overloading beyond authorized seating capacity, and other related transport infractions.
The bureau head added that the measures taken are not limited to a one-time monetary fine but scale according to the severity of the offense.
Accordingly, violators face fines of up to 5,000 birr depending on the degree of the infraction, while drivers caught repeating the same offense face strict decisions up to work suspension.
Emphasizing that resolving this issue requires public participation alongside individual accountability, the bureau urged residents to protect themselves from overcharging by paying the correct legal fare starting from terminal points.
Furthermore, the Transport Bureau called on the public to report any illegal fare hikes, route shortening, or unlawful practices by noting the vehicle’s license plate number and route, and calling the toll-free hotline 9417 for immediate action.
