Intercity STC Coaches Limited, a leading transport company, will begin online sale of tickets beginning June 2016 as part of reforms to revamp its operations.
The Managing Director of the company, Mr Samuel Nuamah-Donkor, said the initiative was meant to plug all revenue leakages and enhance efficient financial management and accountability.
“What will happen is that with the new computerised system for ticket buying, prospective travellers do not have to go to our stations to buy the tickets. The system will eliminate revenue leakages through the activities of some middlemen because the money would go directly to our accounts,” he said.
Bus inspection
Mr Nuamah-Donkor made this known when he visited the Tema Port with some officers of the company to inspect 11 new buses purchased by the Government of Ghana to facilitate inter-city and cross-border travels.
The 11 buses are part of a 50-bus package which will be fully delivered by the end of May 2016.
Ten of the 44-seater Marcopolo buses are designed with ramps to make them easily accessible for persons with disabilities (PWDs).
Special features
The 50 buses, all valued at US$18 million, have key features to guarantee the security and comfort of passengers.
A key component of the features is the installation of six security cameras at vantage points in and around the buses to record all activities of passengers and detect potential security threats.
The buses also have charging points for passengers to charge their mobile phones and other rechargeable equipment.
Another key feature is the installation of WiFi in the buses to make room for free Internet accessibility for passengers.
The other features are a washroom, coffee machine for snacks, a trail behind each seat, and television sets mounted at vantage points in the buses to provide comfort for passengers.
Passenger Safety
Mr Nuamah-Donkor observed that the company was concerned with the rate of accidents on the roads and had, therefore, trained its drivers to be able to adhere to defensive driving and discipline on the road.
He said the company also had a good maintenance culture that would ensure that the buses would be safe for passengers.
“The planting of security cameras in and around the buses will reduce the risk of attacks on passengers, since the cameras would be able to pick signals ahead. As a company operating in the 21st Century, we need to guarantee the safety and comfort of our passengers and account for every life onboard our buses,” he said.
<<Print>>