Abood Bus and BM Coach take their road battles from Tanzania to Kenya with new Nairobi bound routes

Two rival Tanzanian bus companies are simultaneously announcing new routes, connecting Dar-es-Salaam with the Nairobi City of Kenya, via Moshi, Arusha, Namanga border and Olkejuado.

Abood Bus and BM Coach, the transporters that are currently at each other’s throats in the tough competition along the Northern Routes, seem to be now taking their engine battles beyond borders.

BM Coach and Abood Bus are serving the Arusha, Dar-es-salaam, Dodoma, Mwanza and Morogoro routes. Now Nairobi has been added to the list.

While the official announcements from both entities did not divulge the actual dates, they all stated that the Dar-Nairobi services should be expected to commence soon, but possibly in September 2024.

Both companies recently imported new buses to boost their fleets, with the latest equipment featuring 2 by 1 seating arrangements per row, thus offering more individual space and leg room, things that have been lacking in almost all Chinese manufactured buses.

Abood’s fleet is made up of mostly Yutong Buses and the same case applies to BM Coach which also operates a similar Cummins powered Chinese marquee.

The two transport firms, Abood and BM Coach, happen to be both based in Morogoro Region, where their battles usually start.

In 2022 two touts each working either company were involved in a serious physical fight at the Msamvu terminal of Morogoro, resulting in a stabbing incident where one of them was killed.

The Dar-es-salaam to Nairobi route is currently dominated by Tahmeed, a bus company which runs more powerful Swedish made Scania buses featuring Master and Marcopolo bodies.

Kidia One, another Tanzanian bus company plays the second fiddle on the route using the China-made Zhongtong buses and offering some amenities such as in-built toilets, a cup of coffee, a bottle of water and soft drinks on board.

Dar Express which was previously the doyenne of the Nairobi to Dar-es-salaam route via Namanga, has opted out of the competition with the introduction of a different route which connects the two cities via the Rombo direction, crossing to Oloitokitok, Kimana, Emali, Sultan Hamud and Machakos.

Kilimanjaro Express which later took over the route from Dar Express also bowed out and decided to halt at Namanga border instead.