Adopt scientific formula for setting transport fares – COPEC urges operators

The Executive Secretary of the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC), Duncan Amoah, has urged public transport operators to adopt a scientific approach to determining fares instead of relying on the conventional negotiation process.

His call follows a dispute between the government and the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) over a proposed increase in public transport fares.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Midday News, Mr Amoah said fares should be calculated using measurable factors, including the distance travelled and the amount of fuel consumed by a vehicle.

"There is always a need to get to a more scientific calculation of cost per head, per kilometre," he said on Tuesday, September 22.

"I think that the GPRTU and the Transport Ministry should be able to move towards that point where we will have more scientific cost. So if you are moving, let's say, from Madina to Accra Central and it is 30 or 20 kilometres, and it is supposed to be 40 pesewas per kilometre, you can be able to tell that it is supposed to be around GHC12,"

"You don't need this old situation where they sit in a room to (determine fares)," he explained.

He argued that such a system would ensure greater transparency and provide a fairer basis for reviewing fares whenever fuel prices or other operational costs change.

According to him, fuel-transporting trucks and cargo operators already use similar models to determine their charges, and the system has worked effectively.

"In the petroleum sector, each time a truck moves, the cost per kilometre per litre is determined. Overall, the fuel sector is able to prove scientific pricing," he noted.

Mr Amoah, therefore, encouraged public transport operators to adopt the same approach to minimise recurring disagreements over fare adjustments.

He explained that a standardised formula would enable commuters, transport operators and the government to understand how fares are calculated and reduce reliance on prolonged negotiations whenever transport costs rise.

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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.