- Metro mass Transit L.T.D
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Contents
Early days
Public bus companies have operated in Ghana since the Ominibus Service Authority (OSA) started its operations in 1927. The OSA contributed a lot to the Ghanaian society in terms of public transport. However, OSA's assets were divested in 1995.
Conception
Metro Mass Transit (MMT) arose from an idea from President John Kufuor who spoke of the need of introducing a Mass Transit Bus system in the cities of Ghana at his inauguration speech on January 7, 2001. President Kufuor directed the re-introduction of public mass transport in the metropolitan and municipal areas to ensure the safe, affordable, efficient and reliable transport of commuters. Since then, the Government has been actively promoting public mass transportation.
The Metro Mass Transit (MMT) Limited was officially incorporated in 2003. The shareholders include State Insurance Company, National Investment Bank, Ghana Oil Company Limited, Agriculture Development Bank, Prudential Bank and SSNIT. These together have 55% shareholding. The Government of Ghana holds the remaining 45% shares.
Operational Areas
Since the introduction of the Metro Mass Transit, the following areas have been benefiting from the services [1]
- Accra Metropolitan Area
- Tema Metropolitan Area
- Kumasi Metropolitan Area
- Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Area
- Tamale Metropolitan Area
- New Juaben Municipal Area
- Sunyani Municipal Area
- Cape Coast Metropolitan Area
- Agona West Municipal Area
- Ho Municipal Area
- Wa Municipal Area
- Bolgatanga Municipal
- Birim Central Municipal Area
Fleet Size
MMT at the moment has a fleet of buses made up of Yaxing, DAF, Neoplan VDL, VDL Jonckhere, VDL Dutch and Iveco buses. It is expected that the size of the fleet will reach 1,000 by the end of the year 2008.
Fleet: Current Fleet January 2008 Expected in 2008 End of 2008 Yaxing 400 0 400 Tata 26 0 26 DAF 176 0 176 VDL Neoplan 69 64 113 VDL Jonckheere 102 110 112 Fiat/Iveco 8 0 8
Total 781 174 955
The Fiat-Iveco buses were donated by the Italian Government and helped a great deal during the pilot phase. These buses have played their part and are being phased out.
The Yaxing buses were manufactured in China and supported by the Ghana Government. On the 13th of April, 2006, MMT received 150 Yaxing buses from the Ministry of Roads and Transport (MRT) to augment the fleet of MMT. This brings the total number of Yaxing buses received to date to 400 and it brings the total operational fleet of MMT to over 600.
All DAF & VDL buses have been financed through an ORET Grant agreement between the Dutch Government and Ghana. 35% of the value is a gift of the Dutch Government whilst 65% has been provided as a loan. All DAF Neoplaan & VDL Neoplan buses are manufactured at the Neoplan factory in Kumasi.
File:VDL Neoplan.jpg
Passengers Carried
MMT carried almost 40 million passengers nationwide from January to October 2007 over 12 million kilometres. MMT buses have carried 36,456,300 passengers nationwide and have given 3,724,644 school children free ride.
Operational Issues
A pilot Bus Rapid Transit project in Accra, connecting Adenta with the Central Business District and the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, carrying over 20,000 passengers a day commenced in September, 2005. The buses operate every 15 minutes and ticket are sold in advance.
Recent achievements of MMT include
Free ride for school children in uniforms (Primary and JSS) in all MMT buses nationwide University Campus Service at the University of Ghana - Legon and to the UDS Campus Tamale Special school bussing service in Accra, Swedru and Kumasi (on commercial basis) Opening of branches in Wa & Bolgatanga Increasing the bus fleet of Tamale to start an intra-city bus service Launch of a main hub at Yendi, to set up a high frequency service between Tamale, Wulensi and Zabzugu Opening of the following routes in Accra:
- Trade Fair- Interchange
- Mallam - Tetteh Quarshie
- Oyarifa - Adenta
- Abokobi – Adenta
- Kwabenya – Madina
- Accra - Tema
- Kaneshie - Winneba
Opening of Opera Square: On the 6th June, 2006 MMT proudly opened the renoved Opera Square. Commuters in and around Accra now can travel with great convenience to Nkrumah Circle and from Achimota lorry park up to Amasaman.
Also, the opening of the Opera Square Terminal has opened the way for the construction of passenger waiting facilities at Accra- Bolgatanga.
New Routes in 2007
- Aflao- Kumasi
- Aflao- Elubo
- Ashaiman- Aflao
- Tamale- Gambaaga/ Nalerigu
- Bolga- Nalerigu
- Wa- Techiman
- Bolga- Techiman
- Accra- Asamankese
- Bunkrugu- Tamale
- Bole- Tamale
- Wa- Funsi
- Aflao- Accra
- Accra- Apirede Akwapim
- Kumasi- Cape Coast
- Oda- Accra
- Atebubu- Sunyani
- Cheriponi- Tamale
- Kumasi- Yeji
- Bimbilla- Tamale
- Accra- Akim Bomso
- Saboba- Tamale
- Cape Coast- Accra
Mission & Vision
In general, MMT wants to set up a public transport system, an integrated network of scheduled buses. A public transport system interlinking residential areas, business districts, Central bus terminals, suburbs and villages in a reliable, efficient, safe and affordable way.
The focus of MMT is presently on the short and medium distances, i.e. intra-city transport. MMT aims to co-operate closely with the Government to ensure that the pilot Bus Rapid Transit System succeeds. A Bus Rapid Transit System is the solution for heavily congested areas in the capitals of Ghana and that is why the current Bus Rapid Transit System of MMT will be copied to other relevant areas. Ghana can be one of the forerunners in Africa that combines bus infrastructure with a frequent bus service very effectively. Free bus lanes are a dream for every commuter but as well for the various police, ambulance and fire services.
Job Creations
MMT has grown to be one of the major employers in Ghana. MMT’s current staff strength of around 2,474 is expected to exceed 3000 by the end of 2008 with the arrival of about 258 buses.
Janitorial services, security, bus washing and cleaning are outsourced to third parties providing employment for additional 500 persons.
On account of the construction of the buses in Kumasi, several indirect jobs have been created in the manufacturing sector.
In general productivity of the workforce in Ghana would increase, since MMT can offer fast and reliable transport from home to the workplace.
Moreover, the operations of MMT would empower the Ghanaian community by making job, shop, school and healthcare better accessible.
References
Categories:- Transport in Ghana
- Companies of Ghana
- Companies established in 2003
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