LATRA orders online ticket sellers to toe the line come July

By Getrude Mbago , The Guardian
Published at 12:10 PM Jun 25 2025
Bus transport operators need to confirm that the platforms they use are fully registered and approved, it said, cautioning that operators and passengers must take seriously the need for using approved formats.
Photo: File
Bus transport operators need to confirm that the platforms they use are fully registered and approved, it said, cautioning that operators and passengers must take seriously the need for using approved formats.

ONLINE ticketing providers failing to obtain regulatory authorisation by July 1 risk being removed from operating their transportation businesses.

Salum Pazzy, the head of public relations and communications at the Land Transport Regulatory Authority (LATRA) issued the warning in a statement yesterday, affirming that integration is essential to improve transparency, reduce revenue loss and promote passenger confidence in the public transport system.

LATRA is intensifying a compliance campaign to enforce the 2024 Online Ticketing Regulations, gazetted on January 12, 2024, requiring all digital ticketing service providers to be registered, vetted and approved by the regulatory agency.

 “Unauthorised ticketing systems will be shut down to protect passengers and ensure legal compliance,” he stated, in respect of the requirement for full integration with electronic fiscal device management system (EFDMS) operated by the Tanzania Revenue Authority’s (TRA) and LATRA’s central e-ticketing system (CeTS).

LATRA works closely with TRA, bus companies operating online ticketing, and the Tanzania Bus Owners Association (TABOA) for smooth implementation with these efforts aimed at easing the transition for service providers while avoiding interruption of transport services, the statement asserted.

Bus transport operators need to confirm that the platforms they use are fully registered and approved, it said, cautioning that operators and passengers must take seriously the need for using approved formats.

“Engaging with unregistered providers will result in disruptions and possible legal consequences,” he reiterated, insisting that the reforms are part of a broader government initiative to modernise the transport infrastructure to remove fare manipulation, double bookings and tax evasion.

With the compliance deadline just over a year away, LATRA is appealing to unregistered ticketing system providers to act with a sense of urgency, pledging to offer support during the registration and system integration process.

There will be no leniency after the deadline for those failing to heed these appeals, the statement added.