The Coronavirus Social Distancing In Commercial Vehicles Led To An Increment Of Fares.

Since the inception of the first recorded cases in March was noticed,the pace to which the Coronavirus paces is not something to write home about. Our cases kept increasing and shoot high from time to time. This development led the incumbent President to take a strong decision for some selected parts of the country to go on a lockdown.

The easing of restrictions in the selected parts of the country began slow but sure with the directives from the President. A strictly adherence to still observe our social distancing and all Coronavirus protocols. The commercial vehicles were no exception from these protocols. A mandatory social distancing is to be paid heed to in vehicles.

This development didn’t bring joy to the commercial drivers with their conductors at all,but yet,they found solace in increasing fares to their benefits. In my interview with one of the commercial bus conductors in one of the lorry stations that I went to during my report,to calm my curiosity and abreast myself substantively with. We had an extensive conversation on the fare and how they are still charging after the President had said they can take their normal number of passengers,he began.

Yes,there was an increment of fares when the President,H.S Nana Addo gave a directive for us to take 60% of our usual passengers. When this happened,the drivers association of Ghana under the,Ghana Private Road Transport Union Of Trade Union Congress,that’s is (G.P.R.T.U of T.U.C) authorized the increment of the fares. There was a 15% increment of fares by the (G.P.R.T.U of T.UC) which is 50pesewas of the increment. Before the break of the pandemic and the President’s directives,we were taking an amount of Ghc2,but due to the social distancing in the vehicles,we began taking Ghc2.50p. After the easing of restrictions and we going back to the usual passengers,we are now taking Ghc2.30p.

That’s What The Commercial Conductor Told Me.

Although he was giving me the updates of the fares in our heated conversation,he was still loading the bus and was still calling out passengers to board the bus,if you’re only going their direction. After giving me that weighty info,he later urged me to go to one of the filling station around that vicinity to inquire more about the increments,to which I quickly obliged.

I walked some metres away from the station as I searched around if I could easily find a filling station around the station. But low and be hold,I chanced upon one of the long serving fuel Stations in Ghana,Goil.

As I got to the filling station,a lot of questions were running through my head. Would there be an increment of fuel or petroleum due to the pandemic? What would have actually allowed the commercial conductor to direct me here? A lot went on.

Join me tomorrow here,on my website,as we find out together what actually transpired when I went to the filling station to interview Hayford Adevi,a pop attendant at the Goil Filling station.

But before I leave,has there been an increment of fare in your vicinity,or the normal fare is being taken after the directives of the President to take full passengers? Let me know in the comments box.