Parliamentary C’ttee on Transport visits Intercity STC
The Intercity State Transport Corporation (ISTC) has taken delivery of the 50 buses promised by President John Dramani Mahama to resuscitate the company.
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With the arrival of the buses, which are yet to be inaugurated, the management of ISTC has promised more reliable, safe and comfortable services to patrons.
This was made known by the Managing Director of the company, Mr Samuel Nuamah Donkor, when members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Transport visited the company’s head office in Accra on Wednesday to acquaint themselves with its operations.
Before conducting the team on a tour, Mr Donkor said out of the 50 buses, 10 were disability friendly and had been fixed with rumps to make it easy for physically challenged persons to board.
He said the new buses were also fitted with free WiFi, cameras, washrooms, charging systems for phones, coffee making machines and fridges, while they allowed patrons to receive TV signals.
Unmatched service
Mr Donkor said the company intended to relive its unmatched status of providing reliable, comfortable and safe road transport for its patrons.
In line with that, he said, ISTC had introduced a system of taking its drivers through medical examination every morning before they moved the vehicles.
“The basic medical profiling of all drivers are taken to know they are healthy and in good condition to drive, so that they do not pass off while in motion,” he said.
The drivers were also taken through refresher courses at the company’s training school, while tracking devices had been fitted on the buses, he noted.
He said the move was to ensure the safety of passengers, while stewards were being introduced to take charge of the comfort of patrons.
Automation
Talking about other innovations introduced by the ISTC, Mr Donkor said the company would automate its systems to block financial leakages.
For that reason, he said, funds from the purchasing of tickets on line or at the terminal would go directly into the company’s account.
Additionally, he said, the company was considering outsourcing some of its services, such as the parcels unit, and also partnering with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) to offer 24-hour vehicle testing and licensing services, as well as the introduction of marine transport.
He commended members of the committee for supporting the company during the difficult times, as well as efforts to transform its fortunes.
Committee members
The Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Transport, Mr Theophilus Tetteh Chaie, commended the management and staff of ISTC for turning around the company.
He said he was impressed with their performance and expressed the hope that the delivery of the 50 buses would go a long way to transform the company's operations.
He added that should the company regain its enviable position as the best transport system in Ghana, it would inure to the benefit of especially the staff and management.
He urged the company to expand its routes, in view of the delivery of the new buses.
The Deputy Ranking Member of the committee, Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah, said the visit was not to find fault but to know the challenges of the company to ensure that when issues about the company came before Parliament, members would be in a position to champion them.
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