Transport Drivers Unhappy With Low Patronage

Station masters and executives at the Kaneshie Lorry Station in Accra on Thursday expressed unhappiness with the low patronage of their vehicles by travellers.

The station masters and their executives noted that for the past two to three years, they had constantly recorded low patronage of their service during the yuletide.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr Kwame Sam, Station Master for Obuasi and Ofinso Dunkwa, said although they had made available many cars, travelers were just not coming.

He attributed the problem to the current economic hardship in the country and the desire of potential travellers to save their money to cater for their families after the festive season.

“I believe people are now trying to save the little that they have for their children’s school fees as schools will reopen straight after Christmas”, he said.

Madam Christina Tebah, Secretary for Akim Oda Drivers at Kaneshie Lorry Station, said the work of drivers who ply between Kaneshie and Akim Oda has come to a standstill due to low patronage by travellers.

‘The trend is that if  we will experience high patronage  for our drivers, it all starts at the beginning of August  and so if by the end of August we don’t experience anything like that, then we know that we are in for trouble  like what we are experiencing now’, she said.

Madam Tebah said some years back they could work all day till dawn but now things have changed as they sometimes had to close early from work due to low patronage.

Mr Kingsley Adjei, Vice Chairman, Swedru-Apam-Winneba Drivers Union, attributed the challenge faced by their drivers to the introduction of the Metro Bus popularly known as the “Kufour Bus”.

He said most travelers prefer to use the metro mass buses because the fares are relatively cheaper as compared to their own.

‘While we charge GH¢5 as our fare from Kaneshie to Swedru, the “Kufour Bus” charges GH¢3 and this are making it difficult for passengers to come to us’, he said.

He said passengers would only prefer to use their vehicles when the Metro Mass Buses close in the evening or when the buses delay in coming for them.