Taxi, trotro drivers: Invaluable assets in the transport sector
The transport system in Ghana has always been a cause for concern for commuters, particularly during rush hours.
Being in long queues at lorry stations and suffering through traffic are the common experiences of commuters in Accra and Kumasi.
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A group of people who play exceptional roles in getting people to and from their various destinations are taxi and ‘trotro’ drivers.
Their services to Ghanaians have been tremendous, and before Bolt, Uber, Yango, and other electronic transportation hailing services, they were ever constant and reliable.
Trotro drivers serve as cornerstones of transportation in the country. They do that with taxi drivers, who have also been pillars in the transport sector, despite accusations of fares skyrocketing during rainy seasons and emergencies.
Their importance cannot be overemphasised, where ambulances are still scarce in emergencies in some parts of the country.
Now, regardless of how the general public views them, the work of taxi drivers is characterised by challenges, anxiety and joy.
As the saying goes: ‘experience is the best teacher’, thus three taxi drivers who have experienced the ups and downs of the trade shared their stories with the Daily Graphic.
Tales
Mr Frank Ohene Djan, a taxi driver with 15 years of experience, said he was a tiler before being introduced to the trade and he willingly accepted it because life was difficult for him, as he was not getting contracts for his tiling business.
His work starts at 5 a.m. because of COVID-19, which has slowed down business. Not registered at a particular station, he roams around looking for passengers.
Asked whether he sometimes encountered problems with his passengers, Mr Djan replied in the negative.
‘‘I’m always cool with my passengers. We usually chat, laugh and sometimes forget that we have met for the first time,” he said.
Armed robbers
His experience with armed robbers was frightening. Mr Djan said he picked a gentleman from Lapaz in Accra to Awoshie.
On the way, the gentleman called someone and gave the phone to him to talk to the person. The man at the other end of the line promised to pay the fare when they got to Awoshie.
“I was shocked to see four armed men surround my car when I got to Awoshie. Just as I was about to talk, the gentleman in the car also pulled a gun at me and removed my car key.
‘‘These armed robbers keep changing their strategies. In fact, the way that gentleman was dressed, I least suspected he was an armed robber. They took my car from me and ran away. I informed my car owner who is in the US but he did not believe me so he ordered for my arrest. I stayed in police cells for two days before I was released on bail. Thank God they were arrested two weeks after the crime. Unfortunately, they had sold the car.
“I think Ghana Police deserves some commendation for the swift response,’’ he remarked.
Challenges
Talking about the challenges taxi drivers go through, Mr Collins Aniakwa, another taxi driver, who has been in the taxi business for seven years, said the presence of the electronic transportation hailing apps, such as, Uber, Bolt, etc., had slowed down business.
Apart from workers who patronised their services, he added, students too had been key customers, but that was no lomger the case because of the new transportation modes.
“It is sometimes just by luck that we are able to make sales,’’ Mr Aniakwa lamented but added that driving a taxi had paid off because as a carpenter who resigned from his former job at a top furniture company, he had been able to cater for his family.
Fuel price hikes
Mr Daniel Adzewoda, another taxi driver with 25 years of experience, said the frequent increase in fuel prices was a major worry to taxi drivers.
“Some of us just wake up in the morning and begin our day by roaming for ‘dropping’ and on bad days you can roam without getting enough money for the day’s sales. As you keep on roaming for passengers, it is your fuel that is being wasted.
“I wish fuel price would be increased once in a year to lessen the burden on Ghanaians because increase in fuel affects every sphere of our lives,’’ he said.
For him, it is the joy of every taxi driver to land a ‘dropping’ immediately he hits the road for the day’s business.
‘Droppings’ are when a driver is contracted to take a passenger for long distances or to various places for a long period of time.
“Imagine a taxi driver getting a ‘dropping’ for a long journey; it is just like hitting a jackpot for the day because you may decide not to work again for the day after that engagement,’’ he said with a smile.