By: John Oboh
The Faculty of Business Administration of Jayee University College has urged the government to adopt a Smart Shuttle Service as a measure to address human congestion in the country.
Through its research, the Faculty discovered that the inadequacy of vehicles, especially in the Greater Accra Region, is making life difficult for commuters on a daily basis.
Transport Challenges
According to the research findings, the shortage of vehicles has created an opportunity for some drivers operating between Accra, Kasoa, and other areas to overcharge passengers, a development the Faculty described as worrying.
The findings were presented during the Faculty’s semester-based marketing research presentation held on Saturday, March 21, at the College’s main campus at McCarthy Hill in Accra.
Smart Shuttle Service
Speaking to journalists, a student, Alexander Arhin, explained that their research revealed that many Ghanaians want the government to procure more buses for the Transport Ministry to address the situation.
He noted that this informed their proposal of the Smart Shuttle Service system.
According to him, the smart shuttle buses would be stationed at vantage points in Accra and parts of Kasoa where students, workers, and traders struggle to find transport to their destinations.
Mr Arhin added that the buses would operate from 4:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. to convey commuters to their workplaces and schools on time, thereby reducing lateness.
He further explained that after a break, operations would resume between 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to transport commuters back home, with services ending at 8:30 p.m. to allow them time with their families.
“We believe that if the government adopts the Smart Shuttle Service, it will help reduce congestion in the Greater Accra Region and parts of the Central Region, particularly Kasoa, and eliminate the issue of drivers overcharging passengers,” he stated.
Support
The Graduate School Coordinator of the College, Isaac Yaw Opoku-Okuampa, noted that Ghana’s transport system has posed a major challenge to citizens for decades.
He expressed optimism that the proposed initiative could help address the problem.
He further observed that most advanced countries rely on university research to solve societal challenges, as governments cannot always directly engage citizens in every locality to understand their concerns.
Senior Lecturer Opoku-Okuampa therefore urged the government and private institutions to embrace the Smart Shuttle Service initiative to reduce congestion in regional capitals, particularly in the Greater Accra Region.
He added that beyond easing congestion, the initiative could also create employment opportunities, especially for drivers, thereby helping to reduce unemployment in the country.
