Cars are quite expensive to own in Tanzania as they have to be fully imported and they are driven until they are beyond repair (and then there's the high cost of fuel!). This means however that there is quite an extensive public transport system within each town. When it's too far to walk, people who don't own a bicycle take a ride on the back of a motor scooter or in a duladula. The motor scooter is way too scary whereas the duladula is just uncomfortable.
I think the duladula vans were originally designed to seat around 15 passengers. At the moment the record for the number of people seen travelling in a duladula is 28. The large numbers are achieved by the great flexibility of the locals. While muzongoos (white people) like me never get into a duladula that doesn't have a free seat, it doesn't seem to bother the Tanzanians who will stand. Standing however does involve bending over double across the seated passengers.
The conductor manages to collect the 300 shilling fare from everyone at some stage. He hangs out of the half open door and bangs on the roof for the driver to stop when he sees passengers waiting. He then shouts out the destination and the rush begins.
There are also teksis which are about 20 times more expensive (but still very cheap compared to Australia).
There are a number of preferred drivers of both taxis and duladulas who can be called if there is a group of us going together and we pay a fixed fee. If you hire a taxi on the street you must negotiate the fare before you get in as there are no meters.
