Metro Mass Transportation Case Study

1.1 Background of the study
Transportation plays very key part in the development of a country. The economic and social development of a country is dependent on their transportation system. The growth and development of any economy largely depends upon the efficient and effective movement of people, goods and services and hence the role of an efficient transports towards this objective could not be downplayed (Ofori-Dwumfuo and Dankwa, 2011). Mass transport in developing countries is important for the urban poor who have to rely on walking, cycling, and road-based public transport to meet most of their travel needs. Therefore, it is inconceivable how a country could trifle with it without causing harm to the development of the country. Road

Similarly, City Express Services (CES) was embattled with corruption, which led to its demise. The government of Ghana, undaunted by these challenges, proceeded to establish the Metro Mass Transit Company Ltd., which though infested with many hindrances similar to those of the erstwhile transport companies, has survived up-to-date. The Metro Mass Transit Co. Ltd. (MMT) was established to provide efficient urban mass transport system in the country. Subsequent to its inception, MMT has contributed immensely to the transport industry in the country. Its contribution to the transport needs of urban and rural dwellers at reasonable fares, is satisfactory, thus making it possible for many people to get to the various markets centres with their goods and services. MMT bus services has been very helpful to worker who, for one reason or the other are unable to acquire accommodation at their duty stations by commuting them daily to and from work, while school children in uniform who, previously did not have any access to education are now able to attend distant schools due to MMT bus

Until now, the country had boasted of a very active public transport system that served all parts of the country. State Transport Corporation (STC) and other transport companies served commuters in both cities and rural communities. CES, OSA and STC collapsed largely because of malpractices which undermined the revenue generation of the companies.

The Metro Mass Transit CO. Ltd. (MMT) that filled the vacuum, albeit with a lot of challenges is also on the verge of collapse. In a meeting with bus inspectors of the company at Kumasi, the Managing Director of MMT, painted a picture of gloom and doom in 2014. The company generated a revenue of GHȼ14million in 2012 which fell to GHȼ9million in 2013 irrespective of the increase in the fleet of buses from 846 to 1046 (www.gbcghana.com). The collapse of the public transport sector could reduce and/or increase cost of the rate of movement of goods and people and hence commercial activities in the country. Such effect could reduce the economic growth of the country. It is against this backdrop that the current study seeks to investigate the challenges of State Mass Transport in