Ghana has launched a new digital platform for its public transport sector, aimed at improving efficiency, transparency, and convenience for commuters and operators. The Tap and Go transport service, which was unveiled by Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia on Monday, February 19, 2024, allows passengers to pay their fares using a preloaded card or a mobile app.
The Tap and Go system, developed by local talents, integrates multiple public transport services, including intra and inter-city buses, trotros, taxis, and ride-hailing services. It also offers features such as tracking, parcel delivery, and security cameras on buses. According to Dr. Bawumia, the initiative is part of the government’s digitalization drive, which has already transformed other sectors such as ports, passports, and national identification.
“Ghana’s public transport system is faced with several challenges. Notably, delays at stations, inability to identify passengers in case of accidents, corruption with drivers under-declaring their earnings, inability to effectively monitor vehicle activities and financial performance of vehicles, lack of access to credit due to inability of banks to verify the revenue performance of vehicles, difficulty in getting the exact amounts to pay transport fares, receiving fake currencies, different fares for the same journey, difficulty of getting change for passengers and of course robbery against cars and passengers, due to cash being carried around,” Dr. Bawumia said at the launch.
“Government, in collaboration with the private sector, therefore, developed the Tap and Go Transport Service, to address the above problems and to help formalize the informal transport sector, with the help of a well structured and tested technology.”
The Tap and Go service is expected to benefit both commuters and transport operators, as it will reduce waiting times, ensure fair pricing, enhance safety, and curb revenue losses. Dr. Bawumia also announced that the government will secure 100 electric buses for the Metro Mass Transit Limited, the first public transport service to onboard the digital platform, this year.
Ghana is not the first African country to adopt digital solutions for its transport sector. In 2019, Kenya launched a cashless payment system for its matatus, the popular minibusses that serve as the main mode of transport in the country. The system, dubbed BebaPay, was developed by Google in partnership with Equity Bank. It allows passengers to use NFC-enabled cards to pay their fares and also provides them with receipts and transaction records.
Other countries, such as Rwanda, Uganda, and Tanzania, have also introduced mobile apps and online platforms to facilitate booking, payment, and tracking of public transport services. These innovations are aimed at making public transport more accessible, affordable, and reliable for millions of Africans who depend on it for their daily mobility.
Source: Peace FM Online
