By Mariam Williams
The Gambia Transport Service Company (GTSC) in partnership with Gambia Government, had introduced new buses in addition to its normal fleet, at a ceremony held at GTSC head office in Kanifing.
Geared towards addressing the challenges commuters are facing, the buses, as disclosed, are to be deployed at crowded and urban areas as well as during peak hours with the intention of addressing pressure from commuters, formal and informal workers, petty traders and the general public. The buses cater for all travelers including the physically-challenged.
It could be recalled that the Gambia Government, as part of its stringent measures to contain the spreading of the Coronavirus in the country, has ordered drivers to carry half their vehicles’ capacities; a move that compelled some commercial drivers who are not amenable to the order, to withdraw their vehicles from the traffic and park them, thereby causing transport difficulties.
Speaking on the new fleet, Mr. Seedy Kanyi, General Manager of GTSC explained that the move to roll out the buses was in response to public demand. He observed that Covid-19 has affected everybody, worldwide.
Kanyi highlighted that GTSC as a company, has been responding proactively, even before the government announced the State of Public Emergency, by advising their staff to ensure their buses are not crowded, running at 50 percent capacity, bought and stationed buckets and sanitary materials at all their depots, countrywide, partnered with The Gambia Red Cross Society to re-enforce their bus cleaning and daily fumigating them to curb the spread of the disease.
GM Kanyi observed that the demand for public transport has gone down since the outbreak of the disease with Government’s directive for all commercial vehicles to run at half capacity vastly affecting transport operators’ revenue base.
He divulged that GTSC currently generates about 30 percent of its daily projected revenue which is very low for them, admitting that they are “really struggling”.
However, Kanyi added that they have an arm of responsibility to protect public interest as they are not all out about making money, reasoning the company belongs to Gambian workers.
The Transport Service boss clarified that their fairs have not been adjusted even though the demand had gone down with them running at half capacity.
In conclusion, he thanked government through the Ministry of Transport for their approval to use the buses.
