From OSA to Ayalolo

A GNA feature by Cecilia Diesob
Accra, Jan. 24, GNA - Some experiences are unforgettable. It was a clear, hot morning and as expected, I was sweating endlessly after undertaking the brisk walk through the Opera Square to my destination- the Metro Mass Transit (MMT) Bus terminal.

I had two objectives to achieve- to get to work early and at the same time obtain an advance bus ticket for a cousin travelling to the Upper West Region the next day.

The sun was scorching and with my stated objective in mind, I nearly tripped over a group of young ladies, with suckling babies and young children, sitting on a pile of luggage at the MMTransit Bus terminal. I turned to offer apologies but what greeted me was anger, disgust and annoyance.

I saw a bus loading for Wa, the capital of the Upper West Region. I went closer and I was rudely surprised. On every bit of space inside the bus- on the passenger seats, the aisle of the bus and any given space was stacked with loads of huge baskets, piles of sack and heap of boxes.

I was surprised because one could imagine the extent of discomfort the passengers would have to endure to reach their destination.

I immediately rejected this option and as I stood there thinking for the next line of action, in terms of acquiring a ticket for my cousin.

I recalled a pleasant experience I encountered on my way back home from work. I was quite fortunate to join one of the newest fleet of public transport popularly called 'Ayalolo' managed by the Bus Rapid Transport scheme.

That experience, I must confess, was unique. It was an elegant bus with a serene ambience, fitted with Wi-Fi and USB cables to provide extra comfort and convenience to the passenger on board. When would such buses take passengers from Accra to Wa some 560 kilometres away?

The public transport
The MMT Limited was established in 2003 by the New Patriotic Party, recognising the need for a mass transit bus system, which would provide reliable and affordable means of transport for commuters to various destinations.

Before the introduction of the MMT, there was the existence of the Omnibus Service Authority (OSA), which operated as a public transport system from 1927 to 1995.

Another public transport system still in existence is the Intercity STC, formerly called State Transport Corporation (STC). Its emergence stemmed out of the idea of setting up a national bus carrier dating back to 1909.

In 1995 Intercity STC became fully incorporated in Ghana to manage the State's transportation system.

Under a new management led by Mr Samuel Nuamah Donkor, and its new fleet of buses plying all the major routes in the 10 regions, the STC is a force to reckon with in the local transport industry for its quality and efficient services.

On the other hand, the MMT buses are quite affordable and easily accessible. But it is still the desire of every traveller to ride in comfort and reach their destination safely.

Though road crashes occur in both the private and public sectors, drivers in the State transport sector are well trained to avoid any action that would lead to a road crash.

One cannot forget the February 2016 tragedy which threw the whole nation into mourning when it was alleged that a MMT bus in an attempt to overtake another car in a sharp curve collided head-on into a truck loaded with tomatoes. This led to the loss of 50 lives.

Preliminary investigations by the Ghana Police Service later revealed that the bus, which was supposed to carry 61 people, was found to be carrying 85 travelers onboard- a clear instance of overloading.

Lest I forget, I opted for a STC ticket for my cousin heading to Wa and I still arrived to work on time. But speaking with Madam Francisca Mwinome at the STC bus terminal, she narrated her ordeal on a recent trip on a MMT bus.

'We were intentionally delayed while the conductors just kept giving us excuses. We reported to the bus terminal as early as 0500 hours and left Accra as late as 1130 hours, we were already exhausted before the journey began.

'Strangely the personnel brought on board some goods, which they packed on the floor and aisle of the bus, between the seats, under the seats and on every available space.

'They stacked up bags of rice, with several cartons of goods and other personal effects that hindered movement of passengers on board the bus.

'In the process the second door, which serves as an alternative entrance or exit in an eventuality, was blocked, the whole bus looked messed up and we felt trapped. And some passengers who alighted on the way also complained of their luggage getting damaged due to the weight of other bags,' she said.

Mr Abubakari Suleman is a retailer of smocks and often goes to Tamale to buy his goods. He explained that machines are made by man and servicing is required at regular intervals to keep the machine in shape.

But the poor and unreliable services provided by the operators of some of the MMT buses are the reasons why he relies on private transport for his business transactions.

'These buses are not properly serviced and I remember I once joined Metro Mass Transit bus, which broke down twice on the way, finally another Metro Mass Transit bus was requested to come for us before we continued our journey and this created a needless delay,' he said.

Customer first
In many successful businesses, customers are treated with some respect. Once the client or customer has undertaken to pay for a product or service, it is now the turn of the service or product provider to ensure that the client is quite pleased with the stated request.

And beyond a good name, is respect for one's clients. And I had another unexpected experience quite recently, when I boarded a STC bus to Nandom.

The polite driver before setting off introduced himself and the assistant driver greeted all the passengers and wished us a safe journey. Quite importantly, he added that we should not hesitate to alert him should any of us experience a challenge or discomfort.

That was reassuring and I wish the management of the MMT service would pay a careful attention to the way their workers relate with their clients.

GNA