Public Transport In Ghana And Switzerland

Most people in Ghana use the public transport every day. But Europeans travelling to Ghana find an immense difference between the Ghanaian system and those in their home countries. Switzerland, a developed country, for instance, is known for the excellent arrangement of its transport systems; which are regulated by the state. Unlike Switzerland, Ghana�s public transport is run privately and has shown to be efficient and accepted by users. All said, though, Ghana�s transport system faces challenges with regard to the lack of safety mechanisms and travel schedules. Means of transport In Switzerland, trains are the most popular means of transport. Covering an area of around 41,000 km2, the country has a railway system that spreads over 5124 km, whereas, Ghana, with an area almost six times bigger i.e 238,000 km2, has a railway system that is run by the Ghana Railway Corporation covering only 1300 km. In Ghana, the most popular means of transport is the tro-tro (commercial bus transport). Costs Public transport in Switzerland is expensive. The price of a single ticket goes for CHF 2.20 (GH� 7.25). Compared to the cost of a tro-tro ride, this is more than 10 times the fare in Switzerland. Meanwhile, just as in Switzerland, cabs are the more expensive choice for intercity transport. In Switzerland, the price for a taxi ride is non-negotiable. It comes with a basic tariff around CHF 5, (GH�16.47) plus the fixed costs charged per kilometre. Moreover, catching a taxi cab in Ghana is much easier and faster as there are a lot more cabs compared to Switzerland. Due to the high cost of public transport in Switzerland, the number of private car users is increasing, which is the cause of long traffic jams and air pollution. Schedules/Punctuality In contrast to Ghana, transport systems in Switzerland follow exact schedules. In 2013, 87.5 per cent of public transport users arrived at their destinations on time. Given the fact that no schedules for tro-tros exist, the frequency of arrivals and departures of this mode of transportation in the main remains satisfactory. In Switzerland, transport travel schedules do not always suit the traveller as some trains, for example, depart or arrive say every 30 or 60 minutes. Missing the train could mean waiting for a long time with the consequence for one to arrive late at their destinations. In Ghana, because tro-tros normally do not depart until they are filled up, there are long frustrating waiting periods as well, even though it must be mentioned that the waiting periods for tro-tros to fill up are environmentally friendly and seen as exemplary. In Switzerland, for the reason that buses and trains have travel schedules, they leave their stations often times with only a few people travelling on them. Safety Given the fact that there are no standard vehicles used for public transport, the safety of passengers on Ghanaian tro-tro vehicles is open to question. In Switzerland, safety regulations for public transport are very strict and as such, the incidence of accidents is very low. The implementation of a new permit system for public transportation in Ghana is being discussed. The introduction of a new management and monitoring mechanism for the tro-tro way of transportation should improve the quality of vehicles and services. Whereas the two systems have both advantages and disadvantages, punctuality is very much required and frequency also, of high essence.