Cameroon Urban Transport Company S.A. known by its French acronym as SOCATUR unveiled 15 brand new air-conditioned buses in Douala over the weekend, marking the first phase of its ambitious plan to deploy 200 vehicles across the city of Douala. This initiative seeks to improve mobility and comfort for residents of the country’s largest city.
The event to present the new buses to the public took place at the company’s headquarters in Ndokoti in the Douala V municipality on Friday, July 11, 2025 in the presence of the Minister of Transport, Jean Ernest Massena Ngalle Bibehe.
Douala City Mayor Roger Mbassa Ndine, who also serves as Chairman of SOCATUR’s Board of Directors, highlighted the significance of this milestone. “This is a first for Douala, the modernization of public transportation. Our city is growing rapidly, and not everyone can own a personal vehicle, thus, public transport must be reliable, comfortable, and safe”, he said explaining that the buses are designed to meet those needs. “They are compact enough to navigate our roads, fully air-conditioned, and offer better safety compared to other transport options”.
According to the mayor, the batch of new buses is just the beginning. “If these buses are well taken care of, we plan to expand the fleet to 200 vehicles, transforming the way people move around the city.”
The General Manager of SOCATUR, Lydienne Mouloby Ngalle Bihehe said the company has overcome a myriad of challenges since inception to stay afloat.
“Operating in the public transport sector has not been easy. We have overcome many obstacles that threatened to halt our activities”, said Mrs. Ngalle Bihehe. She added that: “Thanks to the resilience of our shareholders and management, SOCATUR continues to serve the city despite financial challenges”.
SOCATUR’s network originally covered 13 lines, which expanded to 30 after a partnership with the City Council and municipal councils. However, poor infrastructure and an aging fleet limited operations to about 10 lines. The arrival of these new buses is expected to revitalize service and expand coverage.
The population of the city of Douala; the most populous city in Central Africa have welcomed the new buses while expressing their wish for a proper management of the fleet to meet their growing demands as they look forward to a better, safer, and more comfortable travel across the bustling city.
First published in NewsWatch newspaper No 213 of Monday, July 14, 2025
