Ten of the buses being tested as part of the redefined ‘Bus Rapid Transit’ (BRT) services, have been registered, after the operators were criticized for hurriedly dispatching the buses onto to the road without registration and insurance cover.
Twenty eight buses are also expected to be registered today [Wednesday].
Buses not registered
The move comes a day after the Marketing and Communications Manager of the Greater Accra Passenger Transport Executive, operators of the Service, indicated that none of the buses had either been registered or insured.
The BRT transport service commenced test operations on Monday with 9 buses plying the Amasaman – Achimota – Circle –Accra route with free rides.
However operators identified challenges with the log system which provided information such as when and where passengers would alight to drivers.
Concerns over the non-registration and lack of insurance for the buses and challenges with communication between passengers and the bus drivers, forced the Managers of the service to suspend operations a day after the buses were put on the streets in a test.
Officials of the BRT system told Citi News that services were also suspended to enable them train the drivers on how to use the system to facilitate non-obstructive communication between them and passengers.
Service to be expanded
The newly introduced bus service is expected to be expanded to other parts of Accra to help commute passengers faster and more conveniently.
The bus will soon be operational on the Accra – Legon – Madina – Adenta stretch.
No dedicated lanes for ‘BRT’, it’s now Quality Bus System
Meanwhile, the Greater Accra Passenger Transport Executive (GAPTE), implementers of the supposed Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) service, have given the project a new name because the buses for now do not have dedicated lanes as expected.
Speaking on Eyewitness News, the Chief Executive Officer of (GAPTE), Sampson Gyamenah, admitted there were currently no dedicated lanes, a critical element of any BRT system and instead called what was being implemented a Quality Bus System.
“We do not have a full blown dedicated lane for the buses so I will also hesitate to call what we are putting in place a BRT. It is called a Quality Bus System,” he said.
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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana