Trotro drivers in Accra will begin to wear masks to help reduce spread of covid19.
The city authorities’ directive is applicable to all drivers on all routes.
Category: Ghana trotro
Ghana trotro refers to the converted mini buses that ferry passengers in the city. They are usually vans with cut out windows. Ghana trotro provides transportation for about 70% of city dwellers.
Most Accra trotro buses are not operational though government has eased confinement measures. Several drivers have stayed off the streets in protest against mandatory reduction of passengers without corresponding compensation from the government.
For trotro drivers willing to work, slow return to normalcy is a disincentive because few people are boarding.
Today,Accra trotro buses defied an anti covid19 regulation to reduce passenger capacity. The Operators argue that such a measure will lead to loss of revenue. Their opinion is, the announcement should have been accompanied by reduction of fuel prices; a principal cost factor in transport operations.
From tomorrow Thursday,March 26, 2020, Accra trotro buses will reduce passenger capacity per seat by one. By this regulation, Trotro buses, such as Nissan Urban minibuses, that previously carried three persons on a row will now only pick two.
This adjustment is meant to help mitigate the spread of covid19.
Trotro drivers in Accra oppose the newly announced digital drivers license which is set to go operational on 7th November. The card is supposed to integrate with a new national ID system and provide seamless identification for drivers and vehicle ownership documentation.
The trotro drivers say they dislike the new system for several reasons. One, its very expensive and they have to repay for a license as the old one invalidates at the inception of the digital card. Two, they claim the new card is one of the routine ways government inconveniences drivers with novelty just to make money from them and later claim that the very system they claim to be advanced would be replaced soon on grounds of ineffectiveness. Three, a driver who is licensed to drive an automatic vehicle cannot switch to manual transmission when the Ghana Motorcar Code does not have any such prohibition.
If the drivers become aggrieved, and reluctantly withdraw their services in protest. movement would be severely impacted because trotros provide 70% of city transport services.
Trotro fares will go up by 15%, effective Thursday 6th April, 2017. The increment is in line with the bi annual fares review. The first review for this year has been overdue due to inability of the government to agree with the transport operators over whether they should increase the fares and by what percentage.
The Unions also believe that fare adjustment is a standing protocol that requires no further negotiation and that there have been increases in fuel from the beginning of the year; which go to increase their cost of operation.
We shall obtain the new trotro fares and update our website.
This Tata trotro bus is alighting passengers at the Melcom trotro bus stop at Opera Square, Accra. The bus is arriving from Odokor, travelling trough Kaneshie, Abossey Okai, Jamestown, and the post office.
The bus seats about 50 passengers and roomy compared to its mini bus counterparts. It has exit and entrance so easy to disembark. But it takes time to fill up and is slow on the way. It may have been in service since 1980 but very roadworthy and .comfortable.
Due to its large size, it has 2 conductors – one helps passengers with boarding and alighting, the other collects the fare.
Labone, a rich enclave in Accra East, has only one trotro route which passes from the Kelewele junction through Labone Secondary school, Ecobank, Coffee shop, Apapa and Wireless to Palm wine. The trotro buses that ply this route feery passengers from palmwine, Wireless, Apapa to Circle Odawna station, Osu and Accra.
The trotro bus route from Kokomlemle to Nkrumah Circle. The photo is taken near Top radio, going down to Vodafone. This bus route actually begins from Pig Farm near Roman Ridge, ravels through Accra New Town and terminates at Odo Rise, at Circle. Trotro buses traveling this way stop at Asantewaa, College junction, Malata, 37 station and Club 1000.
Passengers alight from a trotro bus at the Labone coffee shop in Accra East. The bus stop is at the junction just before the Ecobank, on the Labone secondary school road, This trotro route serves buses from Palm wine, Wireless and Apapa travelling to Circle, Osu, Kaneshie, Accra and Odawna.