Pictures of Trotro Buses

A trotro bus conductor peers out of the window at Paloma, a location on the Ring Road, Accra.  His role includes prospecting passengers along the route so the driver can stop for them to board. The hands are sticking out because he will need to signal to pedestrians in the distance if they intend to travel his direction or destination.

Trotro buses ease their way around the new Kwame Nkrumah circle interchange in Accra. Some years ago this very spot was as chaotic as a helicopter swirl. With the new road ways which includes a three tier flyover, trotro buses from 4 major transportation hubs - Kanehsie, Lapaz, Accra and Accra breeze through destinations. The new interchange connects Circle to the main thoroughfares and thus help eliminate congestion.

This photo was taken from inside a trotro bus that has just began the ascent of the old Kokomlemle Circle overhead bridge. The new Kwame Nkrumah circle interchange can be seen partially to the right.  The bus will ease down the road around Iran clinic and continue on its way to Accra Central. It was a Sunday afternoon so the streets look quite deserted.

An Hyundai Ghana trotro bus [ eclipsed ] undergoes check at Sabon Zongo, near Abossey Okai and Ayigbe Town in South West Accra. This trotro route begins at Happy Days Abossey Okai and ends at Zongo Junction, near Kaneshie and Mataheko. Passengers traveling West to neighborhoods like Latebiorkorshie, Mamprobi, Dansoman, Chokor and Korle Bu typically take this route. Sabon Zongo is one of the sleepless communicates in Accra.  It has an active night life centered around the Gaskia old cinema along the Dansoman road and the night market, further south.

This Ghana trotro bus has just descended the north section of the new Kwame Nkrumah Circle Interchange and is heading towards Accra, UTC or Post Office. It may have arrived from Achimota, Lapaz, Kwashieman or Alajo, all destinations points in teh north. The construction of the Interchange eases traffic extensively. Previously, this bus wold have taken about 12 minutes to just circle the roundabout in teh midst of heavy traffic. At Circle the trotro bus will make two stops - at PTC and Ernest Bruce - before it speeds into the Central Business District.

This trotro conductor dangles on a bus in motion. Its a common spectacle in Ghana to see these driver assistants perch alongside the doors of mini buses as they call out to passengers or announce routes.  Typically, the trotro bus would be moving slow about 5 km per hour and its a technique applied by these mates to maintain motion if no passenger boards and to have enough brake to pick up one.  Its so precarious.

These trotro buses wait to turn left to the Tema station trotro terminal in Accra central. The cream building in the background is the  Economic and Organised Crimes Office. The Tema station is the largest commercial transport car park in Accra. Its a collection of boarding bays for trotro buses traveling the East and West routes of the  City.

This trotro bus conductor has mastered the art of hopping onto a moving bus just like others in the trade.  They typically adopt this jump because they need to scout for passengers and look out for officials from the city authorities. The heap of sand in the foreground was left over for a shop owner who had built a kiosk close to the station.

Willowbrook spacecar trotro buses park at Kwame Nkrumah Circle. The buses were relocated after the contractors constructing the new interchange moved them a little towards the Neoplan station so they could retar the station. These buses are about 30 to 40 years old but ply long routes daily and efficiently.