UDA-RT (UDA Rapid Transit)

What UDA-RT (UDA Rapid Transit) does

UDA Rapid Transit Public Limited Company (UDART) is a government-owned public transportation operator incorporated in Tanzania on 19 December 2014 under the Companies Act. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Shirika la Usafiri Dar es Salaam Limited (UDA), in which the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania is the majority shareholder. UDART began operations in May 2016 and operates a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system serving Dar es Salaam commuters, carrying an average of 165,000 passengers per day across a network of 45+ stations, 5 terminals (Kimara, Ubungo, Morocco, Gerezani, Kivukoni), and 20.9 km of dedicated centre-of-road busway. The fleet consists of 210+ buses running 19 hours per day from 4:30 am to midnight. Service is delivered through four bus types — Express, Feeder, Ordinary, and Student — with fares of TSh 500 (Feeder), TSh 700 (long-distance Kimara–Kibaha/Mloganzila), and TSh 750 (Trunk) per journey; ticket validity is 1 hour 30 minutes from purchase.

UDART's core technology is the dedicated-lane BRT infrastructure itself, supplemented by a digital ticketing system supporting mobile phone purchases and a BRT card system currently being upgraded. Revenue is generated primarily through per-trip passenger fares (transaction-based) and secondarily through bus advertising/branding sold to businesses seeking exposure to the 165,000 daily commuter base. The customer base is exclusively individual commuters in Dar es Salaam — general public, students, express riders, and feeder-route users — with no enterprise or B2B accounts. Strategic partners include DART (infrastructure implementing agency), LATRA (regulatory authority for driver licensing and compliance), the Tanzania Police Force Road Safety Unit (defensive driving training), and the Fire and Rescue Department (emergency response training).

Name

UDA-RT (UDA Rapid Transit)

Legal name

UDA Rapid Transit Public Limited Company

Website

https://udart.co.tz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UDA Rapid Transit (UDART) is a Tanzanian government-owned public limited company that operates the Bus Rapid Transit system in Dar es Salaam, transporting approximately 165,000 commuters daily across 45+ stations and 20.9 km of dedicated lanes using a fleet of 210+ buses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Urban Public Transportation

NAICS

Bus and Other Motor Vehicle Transit Systems (485113), Urban Transit Systems (48511), Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation (485)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100)

akta.pro primary industry

Demand-Managed Urban Bus Services (Headway/Route Optimization within Fixed-Route Networks) (THAIAEAJ)

Keywords

• Bus rapid transit
• Urban public transportation
• City bus operations
• Mass transit services
• Commuter transit system

Headquarters

HQ city

Dar es Salaam, Dar Es Salaam

HQ country

Tanzania

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Passenger Fare Revenue: UDART generates primary revenue through passenger fares collected at BRT stations. Trunk Bus fares are TSh 750 per station-to-station journey, Feeder Bus fares are TSh 500, and long-distance routes (Kimara to Kibaha/Mloganzila) are TSh 700.
2. Bus Advertising/Branding: UDART offers advertising opportunities on their modern buses which service 165,000 commuters daily and cover prime areas in Dar es Salaam City. Businesses can advertise their products/services on the highly identifiable bus fleet.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

UDART operates the Dar es Salaam Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, providing urban passenger transport through dedicated-lane infrastructure and a modern fleet of buses. Core service offerings include Express Bus, Feeder Bus, Ordinary Service Bus, and Student Bus, with fares collected per journey and additional revenue from bus branding/advertising.

Product overview

UDA Rapid Transit (UDART) operates a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, providing city commuter transport through multiple service types including Express Bus, Feeder Bus, Ordinary Service Bus, and Student Bus. The core BRT System uses dedicated lanes with stations aligned at the centre of roads, covering 45+ stations and 5 terminals across a 20.9-kilometre route network. The company also offers branding/advertising services on its bus fleet and mobile-based ticket purchasing features. UDART serves approximately 165,000 commuters daily with a fleet of 210+ service buses operating 19 hours per day.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BRT System (Bus Rapid Transit) Bus Rapid Transit system using dedicated lanes with busways and stations aligned at the centre of the road, delivering fast, comfortable, and cost-effective city commuter transport services in Dar es Salaam across 45+ stations and 5 terminals.
• Express Bus Service Express bus service operating within the BRT system, providing rapid transit between major stations along the BRT corridor in Dar es Salaam at TSh 750 per station-to-station journey.
• Feeder Bus Service Feeder bus service connecting peripheral areas to the main BRT trunk lines, priced at TSh 500 per journey for routes such as Kimara to Mbezi Luis.
• Ordinary Service Bus Standard bus service providing regular commuter transport across the BRT network in Dar es Salaam.
• Student Bus Service Dedicated bus service for students offering reduced fares for educational commuters traveling to schools and institutions in Dar es Salaam.
• Branding (Bus Advertising) Advertising opportunity allowing businesses to promote their products and services on UDART's modern bus fleet, reaching 165,000 daily commuters across prime areas of Dar es Salaam.

Quantifiable outcome

• 165,000+ commuters served daily
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Shirika la Usafiri Dar es Salaam Limited (UDA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 December 2014UDART is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Shirika la Usafiri Dar es Salaam Limited (UDA), an entity in which the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania is the majority shareholder. UDART was incorporated on 19th December 2014 under the Tanzania Companies Act.
• DART (Dar es Salaam Urban Transport)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDART (Dar es Salaam Urban Transport) is the implementing agency for the BRT infrastructure project. UDART collaborates with DART for the BRT system development and maintenance of BRT infrastructure.
• LATRA (Land Transport Regulatory Authority)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLATRA is the regulatory authority for land transport in Tanzania. UDART works with LATRA for driver training, licensing, and compliance with transport regulations. LATRA provides ongoing training programs for UDART drivers.
• Tanzania Police Force - Road Safety UnitminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerUDART collaborates with the Tanzania Police Force Road Safety Unit for driver training seminars on road safety, traffic law compliance, and defensive driving techniques. Police leaders committed to improving cooperation for bus priority at traffic lights.
• Fire and Rescue DepartmentminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerUDART conducts fire safety training seminars with the Fire and Rescue Department for drivers and staff on emergency response procedures, fire extinguisher use, and evacuation protocols.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ComfortDelGro: Global land transport conglomerate operating buses, taxis, and rail in multiple countries. Relevant as a broad incumbent with experience in government-contracted transit, fleet operations, and multi-country mass transit service delivery.
• National Express Group: Global bus and coach operator with urban transit, school bus, and coach services across multiple geographies. Useful as an established incumbent for benchmarking unit economics, fleet management, and multi-segment bus operations at scale.
• TransMilenio: Bogotá's pioneering BRT system is the global reference model for modern BRT with dedicated corridors and high-capacity articulated buses. While in Latin America, it is the architectural and operational template most African BRT systems (including UDART) emulate.

Emerging players

• Stagecoach Group: UK-listed bus operator with significant urban transit operations including partnerships with African operators. Comparable in operating modern bus fleets in regulated urban environments, though primarily UK-focused.

Others

• Dar Rapid Transit (DART Agency): The Tanzanian government agency responsible for BRT infrastructure in Dar es Salaam, working in close coordination with UDART on infrastructure development. Most relevant ecosystem counterpart rather than commercial peer, but shapes UDART's operating environment directly.

Direct peers

• LAMATA / Lagos Bus Rapid Transit: Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority operates BRT services in Africa's largest mega-city with high commuter volume and congestion challenges. Comparable to UDART as a large-scale African urban bus rapid transit operator serving lower-income mass-market commuters.
• Rea Vaya: Johannesburg's BRT system uses dedicated median lanes and stations for urban commuter transit. Highly comparable to UDART as another African BRT operating in a large, congested metro with trunk-and-feeder service design.
• MyCiTi: Cape Town's BRT system operated in an African metro context with dedicated lanes, stations, and feeder integration. Closest functional analogue to UDART among African BRT operators, with similar urban commuter targeting and dedicated-busway architecture.
• Metrobús (Mexico City): Mexico City's BRT network operates dedicated-lane buses along high-traffic corridors with multiple service lines and stations. Comparable to UDART in BRT architecture, station-based fare collection, and integrated trunk/feeder design.
• Istanbul Metrobüs (IETT): Istanbul's BRT operates dedicated bus lanes connecting major transit hubs with very high daily ridership. Comparable to UDART in dedicated-lane BRT operations, multi-stop urban service, and high-volume commuter throughput.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UDARTPlc
• Facebookfacebook.com/udartTanzania
• Instagraminstagram.com/udart.mwendokasi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/udart-tanzania

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UDA-RT (UDA Rapid Transit)