Accra Technical University, Aayalolo bus system launch shuttle service

The Accra Technical University (ATU) has launched a shuttle service to cater for the transportation needs of its staff and students.

The service, which is in its piloting phase, is a collaboration between management of the university and the Greater Accra Passenger Transport Executive (GAPTE), managers of the Aayalolo bus system.

Speaking at the launch of the shuttle service yesterday at the ATU main campus in Accra, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor

Samuel Nii Odai, said the shuttle service was introduced based on a survey, which revealed that most students commuted from far destinations to attend lectures resulting in their late attendance to class.

Mr Odai entreated all students to patronise the shuttle service, adding that, it was one of the initiatives management had put in place to create a conducive environment for teaching and learning on campus.

According to the Vice-Chancellor, one Aayolo bus had been provided to start the project for the first week with effect from yesterday. The bus would ply the Kasoa-ATU and the Madina- ATU route.

“In subsequent weeks, we hope to extend the service to students living around Tema, La, Teshie, Nungua, Ashaiman, Spintex and other destinations” he added

Shuttle services

A senior member of GAPTE, Mr Charles Annan, said the objective of the company to expand its operations was to provide transport services for educational institutions, such as ATU, to cater for the interest of students.

He indicated that currently, 180 Aayalolo buses had been allocated to cater for the transport needs of educational institutions, adding that, special fares would be worked out for students in order to make it affordable.

Mr Annan said the mode of payment would be cashless and explained that an electronic card would be made available to facilitate payment of transport fares for a specific duration, which would be determined by the student.

“With a swipe of the card in the validation machine on the bus, students can pay for their transport fares” he added

He said because of the ATU shuttle service, the Aayalolo buses would be plying the Dawhenya-Tema Motorway and Tema Community One through the Nungua Beach Road to the main campus of the Accra Technical University.

The SRC President of the ATU, Mr Safo Kwasi Kantanka, thanked the school’s management and GAPTE for implementing the shuttle service for students, adding that, it would ease the stress students went through to get to campus.