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| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| toubab1020 |
Posted - 21 Jan 2023 : 18:12:02
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https://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/editorial/on-proposed-fare-increment
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#Editorial
On proposed fare increment!
Jan 18, 2023, 12:05 PM | Article By: EDITORIAL
The government of The Gambia through its Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure, has released a statement indicating that the country's transport fares will be increased effective Friday 20 January 2023.
This news came at a time when most commuters in the Kombos have long cried over unjustified exploitation by greedy drivers on our roads. While fare increment is the talk of the town, it would be amazing as the price for litre of both Petrol and Diesel have dropped recently.
Most commuters struggle to get transport to and from work on a daily basis. Some even suffer a great deal, as going to work has become a nightmare for them in view of the difficulty associated with it.
According to the Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure following consultations among various stakeholders, an agreement has been reached to increase the transport fares for all official routes across the country, effective 20 January 2023.
In the same vein, an agreement has been reached to adopt a new tariff for the transportation of containers across the country. This gesture is in fulfilment of the agreement reached with the General Transport Union and the Port Transporters Association, it stated.
However, this fare increment would impact negatively on many people, as salaries and wages in The Gambia are very low and too little to even support workers. It is unlikely that this increase, like the ones that have preceded it, will do nothing to improve either efficiency or service on our roads.
The high the cost of transportion in the country in the recent past leaves much to be desired. Some of this increment is fuelled by greedy drivers even though the pump price for both fuel and diesel has dropped in the country.
However, the statement added that as a condition for the implementation of transport fare increment and the new tariffs, route licensing will be introduced for various destinations across the country. This route licensing is a scheme that allows vehicles to register and ply a particular route. However, the Route License Scheme, which if implemented is intended to ease the burden of transportation on commuters as it will help abolish the payment of multiple fares by commuters. But, we’ve seen in the past how some drivers defied rules that don't favour them.
The Government through the Ministry should take a firm stance to end this unnecessary exploitation of commuters.
Lest we forget that effective transport infrastructure is critical to the overall development of nations. And free movement of people is a key in that regard.
For far too long, commuters in urban Gambia have been yearning and continue to face endless hardships and exploitation at the hands of greedy and merciless private drivers on our roads. Government should look into the difficulties commuters face for God's sake.
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| 4 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| toubab1020 |
Posted - 08 Feb 2023 : 13:54:15
SNIPPET:
"34 drivers are charged in total. Proceedings continue today, Tuesday."
One thing concerns me.inter town & village transport is essential,drivers and owners of these vehicles are entitled to make the best use of their vehicles in order to make money to live at a fair standard,jobs are hard to find in Gambia at this current time ,I hope that THE MAGISTRATES will take these circumstances when reaching what senrence to impose on those who they have convicted.
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https://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/headlines/9-drivers-convicted-for-violating-traffic-act
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#Headlines
9 drivers convicted for violating Traffic Act
Feb 7, 2023, 12:37 PM | Article By: Cherno Omar Bobb
The Kanifing Magistrates’ Court on Monday convicted and sentenced 9 commercial drivers to one month in prison each for violating the Traffic Act.
According to the statement of offence, the convicts failed to display the tariff contrary to Section 4 of the Traffic Act Cap 70.03 Vol. VII laws of The Gambia.
The particulars of offence stated that the drivers on the 1st day of February 2023 at Cooperative Junction drove their vehicles without displaying the tariff thereby committed an offence.
34 drivers are charged in total. Proceedings continue today, Tuesday.
A source familiar with the matter told The Point that The Gambia Police Force deployed 160 undercover officers to monitor and apprehend drivers for violating traffic regulations (over charging passengers the stated tariff.)
Our source added that despite the fact that Government has increased the tariff fares, drivers are not abiding by it and are charging above the agreed tariff.
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| toubab1020 |
Posted - 07 Feb 2023 : 11:43:16
++++++++++
VERY Impressed,this proves that Gambian administrations CAN take SWIFT ACTION without getting bogged down in talk talk talk for a long time before any thing moves on .GOOD JOB everyone 
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https://foroyaa.net/police-impound-vehicles-for-violating-new-fare-tariff/
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By Nelson Manneh on February 6, 2023
The Deputy Spokesperson of the Gambia Police Force Assistant Superintendent Muhammed Darboe, on Friday 3rd February 2023 informed the press that thirty-eight commercial vehicles have been impounded for abusing the new fare tariff, by overcharging passengers.
ASP Darboe said the vehicles were impounded by the Kanifing traffic police who apprehended six drivers in Bundung whilst two others were apprehended in Brikama.
“The drivers apprehended were found taking advantage of passengers regarding the new fare scheme, as most of them were charged passengers beyond the normal fares,” he said. The Deputy Spokesperson Darboe said all the apprehended drivers were reported to them by the passengers.
“We will continue to do all we can to ensure drivers adhere to the rules or face the wrath of the law. We have started prosecuting them and we will continue to do so as long as they continue to violate the law,” he said. Deputy Spokesperson Darboe said some drivers abuse passengers by collecting multiple fares for single destinations where they are supposed to charge passengers only one fare.
“We have seen drivers coming from Brikama and telling passengers that they will stop at Latrikunda, only to proceed to Westfield and collect another fare from passengers which is not fair,” he said.
As an enforcement institution, ASP Darboe said the police will continue to scavenge for such drivers and drag them to court.
“This is daylight robbery and exploitations which must come to an end. The fares were agreed and made such that there will be a symbiotic mode of operation between drivers and passengers,” he said.
DPS Darboe urged passengers to adhere to the new fares and help the police in fishing out unscrupulous drivers who abuse passengers’ rights by over charging them.
He urged passengers to pay the exact amount on fares for their journeys based on the new tariff and not to pay more.
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| toubab1020 |
Posted - 26 Jan 2023 : 22:29:51
Full marks for an effective action plan which HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED greed has played a big part in this BUT most of the rest of the world is suffering from increased costs and shortages!
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https://foroyaa.net/transports-ministry-gtu-monitor-drivers-on-new-traffic-policy/
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By Kemeseng Sanneh (Kexx) on January 25, 2023
The Ministry of Transport in collaboration with the Gambia Transport Union (GTU) on Tuesday embarked on an exercise to ensure the implementation of the new tariffs route licensing at Brikama, Westfield, and Coastal Road.
The union and the ministry have put strict measures in place to arrest any driver found violating new traffic routes and both institutions were on the traffic to restrict drivers from overcharging for a single destination.
They started monitoring the drivers coming from Brikama to Westfield or Serekunda and Coastal Road to affirm whether the drivers are following the new policy.
The president of the transport union, Omar Ceesay, said many drivers are complying with the new traffic routes, but he was quick to add that some drivers are still not adhering to the new policy.
He further revealed that passengers are making the work difficult for them by aiding the drivers that are not complying with the new policy.
“I call on the public to work together with us to achieve this goal,” he said.
The new policy came into effect when the transport ministry released a dispatch on 16th January 2023, informing the public that following consultations among various stakeholders, an agreement has been reached to increase the transport fares for all official routes across the country, effective 20th January 2023.
But in the same vein, the dispatch indicated that an agreement has been reached to adopt a new tariff for the transportation of containers across the country.
According to the transport ministry, the gesture is in fulfillment of the agreement reached with the Gambia Transport Union (GTU) and the Port Transporters Association as a condition for the implementation of transport fare increment and the new tariff route licensing for various destinations across the country.
Route licensing is a scheme that allows vehicles to register and ply a particular route and the main objective of introducing a route licensing scheme is to eliminate the charging of double or triple fares for various destinations.
The transport ministry and drivers’ union have provided stickers and permits issued to vehicles plying various routes within the Greater Banjul Area. It is expected that the scheme will be rolled out to all other routes within the country in due course.
The GTU management said information was communicated to all heads of Car Parks and they urged them to ensure that drivers adhere to the principles guiding route licensing.
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| toubab1020 |
Posted - 25 Jan 2023 : 13:49:22
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https://foroyaa.net/commuters-express-dissatisfaction-over-transport-fares-increment/
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By Makutu Manneh on January 23, 2023
Scores of commuters plying the Brusibi Turntable to Westfield and Brusibi Turntable to Tippa Garage and Westfield roads, expressed dissatisfaction and disappointment over the increment in fares across the country, and complain that people currently face serious hardships in the country, especially in the area of their livelihood. This came in the wake of announcements that transport fares for all official routes across the country, will be increased effective on 20th January 2023.
However since Friday 20th January 2023, it has been observed that commercial drivers have continued collecting previous transport fares before the announcement of the new increment. And despite this development, some commercial drivers indicate that they will not collect coins from commuters.
Mariama Fofana, who travels daily from Bijilo to Banjul for work, said the increment in transport fares will increase her expenses.
“Everything is expensive in this country. Food commodities are expensive and now an increment in transport fares will just add more insult to injury,” she said.
Oumie Drammeh, another commuter calls on the government to reflect on the average Gambians when making decisions that will affect their lives. She said she has not seen any reason why the transport fares should be increased at this moment when prices of essential commodities surge daily in the country.
Abass Cham told this reporter that he goes to work daily in Serre Kunda in order to be able to feed his family and that the increase of transport fares is not favourable for him. He calls on the government to study the situation of the country because many families are struggling to make ends meet.
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