MMT introduces luxurious buses on Bolga route
The Metro Mass Transit (MMT) will from tomorrow introduce two luxurious 49-seater buses on its Accra-Bolgatanga route as it seeks to renew its fleet.
Advertisement
The Huanghai buses will run on this route as a pilot to test their ability to stand the Ghanaian terrain for at least three months, before an agreement between Huanghai Automobile (SG Automobile), the manufacturers, and MMT for the supply of 200 buses for intercity routes take off.
The 49-seater spacious luxury coaches come with air-condition, TV and comfortable seats.
Fleet renewal
The initiative is part of the company’s Five-year Strategic Plan aimed at sustaining its operations through a comprehensive fleet renewal programme
The acting Head of Communications of the company, Ms Bernice Akologo, told the Daily Graphic that “management realised there was the need for luxury buses to change the face of its intercity operations.”
She said if the trial of the buses became successful; the company would receive the first batch of 100 buses from the manufacturers before the end of the year.
The first phase will include the supply of 100 coaches, fleet Management and electronic ticketing system and three years preventive maintenance, workshop and offices.
The second phase will also have another 100 buses with accompanying electronic ticketing system and three years preventive maintenance, next year.
Other Trending Stories
“The supplier, Liaoning Huanghai, has indicated its interest to provide a three-year supplier’s credit with a moratorium of three months from the date of bill of laden,” she said.
As part of the terms, MMT is required to provide credit guarantee from a reputable bank or insurance company as collateral security for the supplier’s credit. In addition, the company is also required to make a down payment of 10 per cent of the contract price for phase one and five per cent for phase two.
She said the company selected the Bolgatanga route, which is its longest route, to test the buses to determine whether they could withstand the Ghanaian weather and terrain.
“We are excited at the prospects because this will change the face of intercity transport for MMT,” she said.
The last time MMT procured buses was in 2012 until in late 2015 when MMT received 116 Huanghai intra-city buses provided by Government of Ghana(GoG) through an on-lend arrangement, More intracity buses
Incorporated in 2003, the core mandate of the company includes running on routes generally considered unattractive and unprofitable by private transport owners, in terms of the state of road and patronage.
Ms Akologo said the company was expecting 84 buses more from Huanghai for its intra-city fleet.
That, she said, would ensure that its older fleet augmented the company’s vehicles that ply rural areas.
Currently, Metro Mass is the only public transport operator in the country with a deliberate policy to employ female drivers. Presently, 75 female drivers are behind the wheels of some of the company’s vehicles.
She also said the company would continue to train its drivers and conductors so that the company could derive value from its investments while at the same time satisfying its passengers.