Cape Coast, May 5, GNA - Some station masters of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) in Cape Coast on Thursday appealed to the government to reduce the number of Metro Mass Transport (MMT) buses plying long distances to save the business of the union from collapsing.

Between 11 and 13 MMT buses ply between Accra and Cape Coast daily and three between Cape Coast and Kumasi.

The station masters told the GNA that the introduction of the MMT buses in the metropolis for long journeys had resulted in the low patronage of the union's vehicles. Mr. Atta Essiam, station master of the Ford station at Bakaano, a suburb of Cape Coast, said each of the 12 vehicles at the station used to make at least three journeys to Accra daily before the MMT buses came in November last year.

Since then, this had reduced to just once in a day and that the reduction in the number of MMT buses would enable them also "get a little money to support their families". He registered his displeasure that the MMT buses had resorted to loading in front of the station though they had a designated station and called for a halt to the practice.

Mr Robert Mensah of the Tantri station also expressed concern that the situation had led to some vehicle owners of the union selling their vehicles.

He said before the MMT buses came, a maximum of 30 buses at the station were on the road daily, but this had reduced to just six. Mr Mensah said if the situation persisted, the private transport business would soon be wiped out in Ghana. He said the low patronage of GPRTU buses was due to the fact that the MMT buses charged GH¢3.00 to Accra while the union's buses charged GH¢3.50, and Ford vans, GH¢5.50, and dismissed the notion that the union's vehicles were not being patronized because they were rickety and uncomfortable.

The Central Regional Traffic Officer of the MMT, Mr Daniel Owusu, told the GNA that the fares charged by his organization were based on the price of fuel and not on market competition. He also accused the union's drivers of loading their vehicles at the MMT designated station. Mr Owusu said more buses would be added soon to the Cape Coast/ Kumasi and Cape Coast/Accra routes and new long distance routes introduced.

Three passengers the GNA spoke to said they liked to travel on MMT buses because they were safer, the fares were relatively low and they were also more comfortable. 5 June 08