A growing number of people are criticizing the management of Quality Bus Services (QBS), which operates the Aayalolo Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system under the Greater Accra Passenger Transport Executive (GAPTE), for their poorly maintained buses and declining service quality.
Both drivers and passengers have expressed their dissatisfaction, accusing the corporation of mishandling the once-promising World Bank-funded project that was started to enhance Accra’s urban mobility.
At the Central Business District (CBD), the CMB terminal beside the Greater Accra Regional Police headquarters, commuters bemoaned the bad state of the buses used for everyday operations in an interview with Classfmonline.com.
They contend that the Aayalolo buses have outlived their usefulness and are now only a ghost of the contemporary transportation system they were designed to symbolize.
Many people complained about dirty buses, bad smells, and broken air conditioners, especially during rush hours in the morning and evening when demand is at its peak.
“Some of the buses come with a terrible smell, and the air conditioning doesn’t work. It’s uncomfortable, especially when the buses are full,” a displeased traveler told Classfmonline.com.
As the high cost of diesel continues to put a burden on operations, drivers who spoke on condition of anonymity acknowledged that several of the buses’ air conditioners have been purposefully turned off to save gasoline.
“Management says keeping the air conditioners on uses more fuel, so we’ve been instructed to turn them off most of the time,” one driver disclosed.
Concerns were expressed regarding disorderliness at the CMB terminal, especially during peak hours, in addition to the buses’ poor condition.
Some conductors have been accused by passengers of showing partiality by letting friends and acquaintances bypass the line, which leads to delays and anger among commuters.
“These days, you have to know someone to get on a bus quickly. People queue for long hours, only to be bypassed by others with connections,” another traveler grumbled.
Calls are growing for GAPTE and the Ministry of Transport to act quickly to restore the integrity and dependability of the Aayalolo BRT system, which was once seen to be a world-class public transportation solution.
Source: newsthemegh.com