Tanzania, June 30 -- Dar es Salaam. Commuters and long-distance travellers expecting an immediate reduction in transport fares following the recent easing of global fuel prices may need to wait longer, as regulators and operators maintain that fuel is only one component of the wider cost structure determining fares.

Expectations were rife that the easing of international oil prices after months of volatility driven by geopolitical tensions, including the conflict involving the United States and Iran, would directly lead to a fall in transport costs the same way the rise in global prices led to an immediate increase in transport costs.

For many households, transport has become one of the fastest-growing monthly expenses, particularly in ...