A GOOD RIDE, I WILL RIDE ON    STABUS.

It is no surprise that technology and innovation is practically bringing the world closer as days go by. Time remains a precious resource regardless of the evolution of the world, with man having no choice but to succumb.

Back in the early days,People with no cars struggled with the public transport “trotro” and all the inconveniences it came with,Getting on board,back and forth of passengers and the hustle with the conductor “mate” issa whole mood.

Today and beyond this century is a promising world that’s transcending through technology.

Stabus is a transportation app founded by Isadore Kpotufe which enables one to ride from one place to another in a neat and air conditioned bus for a small price.

Bookings are done through the app or via phone call, as well as pick up and drop off point. Stabus offers comfortability with their well furnished bus, being on time saves time and this is a way Stabus offer their services to their passengers with their optional daily or monthly charges.

How to book with the app

1. Go to the app and select your preferred station
2. Choose your route and schedule from that station 
3. Enter your pick up and drop off locations   
4. And click the book button          It is important to be at the pick up location on time. It is easier tracking lost item active in Accra and found on the following route;                               Adventa to Accra                 Accra to Spintex                  Accra Mall to Kasoa           Accra Mall to Spintex        Atomic junction to Spintex         Stabus is here to offer their reliable departure and arrival services. A good ride, I will ride on. For your comfort and Convenience it’s Us now. 

Transport in grand style -"ENSHIKA"

Transportation services is one that's inevitable in our everyday lives. Individuals utilize diverse forms of transport services to get to their various destinations, from public transportation( trotro) , taxi services, Ayalolo buses, Metro Mass buses. Most people rather  use the "trotro", due to its proliferation , easy access and subsidised fare. However, others prefer taxi "dropping"due to the comfort it provides compared to the public transportationn, despite it's high price.
      Looking at the pace at which technology is developing,  the world is without an iota  doubt becoming more technologically based , hence has brought about the advent of some online transport services. These online transport services allows individuals to request for rides at the comfort of their homes, regardless of the weather condition.  Among these digital transport services, is the most promising "ENSHIKA", digital transport service.

       

                                 

       It is a new  and more innovative Ghanaian -owned digital transport mobile application, which offers  convenience to commuters.
The most interesting thing about "Enshika" is it's ability to  operate with or without Internet or smartphones by simply dialing the USSD short code, *711*711#. This affords all person's the opportunity to enjoy this unending experience regardless of their economical standing, social status or educational level .

       Enshika, which means “my money”  in the Ghanaian local dialect, Ga, is an indigenous transport business with  operation in the Greater Accra, Central, Ashanti, Western, Volta and Brong Ahafo region.
      Aside providing transport services,  the App is a Lifestyle application which  offers users convenience in paying their utility bills, school fees and other special packages.
      Not forgetting the  Enshika points, pass systems, fuel on credit, SOS emergency response and the USSD short code option, among others, which this App provides.
       Enshika points rewards clients each time they take a ride or refer others. Customers have the liberty to convert these points into monetary value and use it to make purchases at selected grocery shops, restaurants, clubs, pubs and hotels.
        The Enshika App also has the pass system, which requires captains(drivers) to pay as little as GH¢21 daily or as much as GH¢420 a month to enable them to operate as “Enshikans.”

The daily, weekly and monthly passes give captains zero per cent commission, 100 per cent revenue on trips. Captains will enjoy as much as they earn from their routine trips after acquiring passes from the Enshika company. Riders and captains on the Enshika App have the rare opportunity of accessing fuel on credit, payable at the end of every day.
     When it comes to safety, Enshika is highly concerned about the safety of riders, captains and clients. Hence , the App has made available an SOS emergency system which is linked to the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) and the Ghana Police Service to ensure the safety of its cherished clients..
       Other features include, multiple payment options, which enables customers to make payment via their mobile money accounts, credit cards or cash. There's the enshika wallet which ends clients some benefits and many attractive offers when they make payment via their enshika wallet.
     Rideshare is another feature which allows riders the option of sharing a ride with others at a subsidised price.
    There is a special package for students in tertiary and college , where they benefit from 10percent discount on all rides all day.
      The ride later option also offers riders the liberty to book a ride later.
 Permanent Disability cover, which caters for the wives of captains who are rendered disabled in the course of their work and 4 other children. There is also the Vehicle Insurance cover, as well as the temporary disability cover, which takes care of minor injuries sustained by captains through accidents and other work hazards.
 The “Work and Pay” plan also gives captains the chance to own their cars after taking 150 or more trips.  There are also flexible and convenient payment platforms on trips, with partners such as Mobile Money services, Ecobank, Fidelity and other selected financial institutions.

BY: CASSANDRA WILSON

REFERENCE: enshika.com

Ride Accra The British Way

  Ride Accra The British Way

Golden cab taxi services are one of the technological innovations brought into the transportation world. It enables one to order and reserve a cab to send you anywhere at anytime from the comfort of one’s home and not having to stand in the hot scorching sun of Ghana to hail a taxi to go to places. Golden cab is originally a service used in the United Kingdom. It was introduced in Ghana in 2006 and has since risen. All customers of the Golden cab since then have been very happy with the customer care given.

Speaking to a few people who have been passengers of the Golden cab, they said that it feels like been ridden like a president. This is because the Golden cab drivers provide snacks and make sure that their air conditioners are always on full blast. To the Golden cab taxi service, they believe that their customers and passengers comfortability is always their first priority. 

The Golden cabs are structured in a way that they are allowed into any residential areas because of their white number plates and not the yellow one’s regular taxis use. also, they travel to airports, schools and places of work. Just like the uber, they bring out an air of comfortability because they are private transportations and not public. It first started operating in Ghana as a white car but is now yellow or slightly golden and to make the customers experience the UK style of travelling, the full-blown way, the company brought the famous black cabs of London to Ghana.

To order for a golden cab, there is a number, on their sites or a form to fill on that same site. There is no application thus far available on playstore or any application store to make reservation o cabs easy. Even with this, all who have ordered have not failed to express their joy and praise for golden cab services.

Golden cab taxi services, comfortability above all.

Written by: Queenie-grace Amonoo

Reference; www.accrablogspot.com

                 www.goldencablimited.com

                     www.goldenservices.com

UBER, A TECHNOLOGICAL INSIGHT

UBER, A TECHNOLOGICAL INSIGHT.

The history of transport is largely one of technological innovation. Advances in technology have allowed people to travel farther, explore more territory,  and expand their influence over larger areas.  Before every other form of transportation,  humans traveled on foot, then later learned to use animals such as donkeys, horses and camels for transportation from 4000 Bc to 3000 Bc. In 3500 Bc , the wheel was invented followed by the invention of canoes and eventually the sailing  boat was invented during the 3100 Bc.

 In the 17th and 18th century,  many new modes of transportation were invented such as bicycles,  trains, motor cycles, cars , trucks and planes . And down the line to the 21st century ,transportation has taken a turn in a technological arena where mini cars are used for transport services with the usage of technological apps in their transportation services, one popular transport service cars that has gain height in the transport industry is that if Uber due to the usage of newly technological apps in running of the business.

  Uber technology Inc commonly known as Uber is an American Multinational ride - hailing company  offer services that include peer to peer ride sharing, ride service hailing.  The company is situated in San Francisco and has operators in over 785 metropolitan areas worldwide. It was founded in March 2009 and its platform can be accessed via its websites and mobile apps. As of 2019, Uber is estimated to have over 110 million worldwide users and it's been recorded in the United states with a 67% market share for ride sharing in early 2019 perspectively . With distinct services options , Uber , the basic level of services provides a private ride in a standard car with driver up to four passengers. Passengers uses a technological app to order a ride which is in built on  their phones after downloading and this comes along with a quoted fare.Uber uses a dynamic pricing model, prices for the same route vary according to supply and demand for rides at the same time that the ride is requested. At the end of the ride , payment is made based on the riders pre- selected  preferences such as a credit card on file,  Google pay, Apple pay , cash or mobile wallets.

   Uber technologies displays some technological features which accumulate to some sort of credit to the company. These features are that if quick books which entails the setting of a destination, select your ride, ride now or ride later , our on - demand booking app on their mobile screens .

        Also,  another technological feature is that of Real- time tracking of driver. When users are in their unknown zone regarding their driver, they feel very frustrated. This however lower the the users satisfaction  level and also affect their overall experience of travelling, and the best way of dealing with such situations is the inclusion of the real- time tracking feature in the app with the help of GPS integration. The feature will enable the users to track the drivers location as well as which way he is travelling.  This makes  life easy for the users as well as the drivers

 Another technological feature a out Uber is the In- app chat or call option . This has to do with times when users would want to connect with the driver to know their whereabouts or to direct them unlike the other public transport where the user would have to wait for the driver without any form of interaction or no information about the whereabouts of the driver until its final destination. In this case as that of the Uber ,the user would want to chat with the support team. The In-app chat or call feature helps them with these things in some aspect where drivers faces trouble finding the address, then they can make the call or chat with the customer and find out the details or get the directions.

   All these facts about technology is having a chance to reflect in the  transportation firm with newly discovered transport services who makes good use of technology in their transport services in accordance to innovation in the digital  world at large.

BY: ANGELINA AKOSUA BOATEMAA.

TRIPPING ACCRA IN STYLE

                                       TRIPPING ACCRA IN STYLE

  Commuting from one place to another is a basic thing in our everyday lives. As the world evolves, there are technological advancements in every sector and transportation is no different.
   In the past,the means of commuting from one place to another was by foot then it developed to other varied forms of transportation.
   Transportation in Ghana has dated as far back as 1898 when the first rail line was constructed from Takoradi to Tarkwa for gold to be exploited commercially and the first road created between Accra Harbor currently known as Jamestown and Dodowa to Larteh in1905 for the exportation of palm fruits.
   As part of every government's priority, bus services are established. The Omnibus Service Authority was one of the first bus services that was operated

in the country from 1927 to 1995. Of course one cannot not mention bus services in Ghana and not mention the still existing Intercity STC formerly called State Transport Corporation (STC). Its emergence came out of the idea of establishing a national bus carrier back to 1909.Then in 20013, the MMT was established to fulfill the need for a mass transit bus system which would provide reliable and affordable means of transport for commuters to their various destinations.
   Now, thinking of a well fitted,high tech public transportation? Then Aayalolo is your answer.
    Aayalolo is a quality bus-based transit system that delievers fast,reliable,safe and affordable urban mobility with rapid and frequent operations. The bus service is operated by the Greater Accra Passenger Transport Executive(GAPTE) and its operations seek to regulate and coordinate urban passenger transport activities in Accra.
             

For the everyday typical Ghanaian looking forward to get to their destination safe and in comfort ayaalolo is their own form of Bentley. With the various options of public transport ayaalolo stands out not only for its affordability but because of its high tech features.The bus is fitted to bring comfort to passengers as well as ensure their safety and give them a pleasant ride.Personally I had one of my pleasant transport experiences onboard an ayaalolo bus. As a student and young adult,of course my phone is my bestfriend. The night before,I had used my phone throughout then just when I was about to charge, ECG took their light oh!! I fell asleep tired of waiting for the lights to come back only for me to wake up and find out that my phone was just 10 percent and I was already 20 minutes late for the the morning class. And the thought of traffic at Okponglo alone drove me crazy. Then i saw a notification that i had to turn in an assignment which i thought was to be submitted next week that very day. My day couldn't get worse. I waited for 30 minutes for a car i felt relief wash over me when an ayaalolo bus approaching. Once i got onboard,i took out my phone hoping to start something but my phone went all of a sudden. Yie!!! I just lost 25 good marks. Call it bad luck or whatever but my day got worse. It was a chilly morning but i was sweating so much that the lady seated beside me asked if i was okay.

Just then realised that the seat before me had a USB port behind it. Likely i had a chord so i plugged it in and Ou la la!! My phone was charging,what a relief!! I quickly began to the work and in no time i was done. Then i found out to my utmost surprise that the bus was also fiited with wifi."Aburokyer3 aba Ghana"(I didn't not spare the WiFi oo I used it to my satisfaction ankasa).For the first time getting stuck in Opkonglo traffic was awesome.
Once I got to the bus stop where I was supposed to get off, I didn't have to yell "mate bus stop!!". I just pressed a red button and the bus came to a stop. I hadn't smiled the whole day but after I got off I was full of smiles.

The bus is also fitted with features that makes it user friendly for people living with disabilities. There is a feature that allows them get onboard with ease and a designated spot for them to sit with comfort. Not only that there are designated seats for pregnant women, lactating mothers and the aged where they can be comfortable without being disturbed by other passengers.
Check out my podcast, Technology In Transportation, on Anchor: https://anchor.fm/queenie-amonoo

Short on cash? There's no need to worry,once you have an ayaalolo card that you've topped up there's no need to worry about not having money. You just need to validate payment by showing the card unto a terminal in the bus once you get on board and doing the same once you're getting off board. Money can be transferred from mobile money wallets unto the card anywhere by using your phone and dialling *447*10# on MTN and AirtelTigo. The management is looking forward to extending the service to other networks.

Who said public transportation couldn't be comfortable. Public transportation just got better!!!!!

Ayaalolo is your safest bet if you're looking forward to having a pleasant public transport experience.
By: Thelma Dede Amedeku
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Autonomous ways to get around

Autonomous ways to get around

Cars can mean a lot of different things to different people. Over time, they've been thought of as everything from horseless carriages to hot rods, and now we're starting to think of them as smart, connected, and even someday, autonomous ways to get around.

Yet another way to consider the automobile is to think of it as a platform for technology. Each step of the car's evolution has represented the potential for remarkable moments among engineers and innovators.

One exceptional innovation is the technological services provided in cars. Bolt is an example of this.

Bolt (then called Taxify) was founded by Markus Villig (then only 19 years old, a high-school student) in 2013, but made its way to Africa in 2016.  It is also the leading European transportation platform providing ride-hailing and scooter-sharing services. The company’s mission is to make urban travel easier, quicker and more reliable. The company struggled until business in Africa began to grow. The continent now makes up about half of Bolt’s business. Today, Bolt operates in more than 100 cities and 30 countries. More than 25 million passengers have used Bolt to take a ride since it was rolled out.

For drivers who want to use the bolt app, they go through a procedure This is a 5-minute procedure. Once you meet all the stipulated requirements and provide the above records, you need to sign up on the Bolt platform to create a driver's account. You must upload all the vital documents, including your car documents, during the sign-up process. Doing so ensures that your application does not take too long to be processed. Upon successful completion of the application, you will receive an email regarding the upcoming training and the process of signing up for the same. Once your account is ready, which is between one to three days, you can start your new job. 

Bolt operates on an app, which enables people to hail rides from their smartphones. The application is available for Android, iOS and Windows Phone. Riders must choose a payment method: cash, credit card or mobile carrier billing before they can use the service. The customer requests a ride and confirms their pick-up location. Once the driver accepts the trip, the customer will be able to see the driver's name and car details. After the ride is completed both drivers and the rider can rate each other. Taxify rates are fair and favorable. With Bolt, there are no hidden fees or monthly charges. There are two ways in which clients get to pay for their rides on Bolt cars. These include Cash Bolt in-app payment (card payments) or cash. The payment period for the drivers runs from Monday 00:00 to the following Sunday 23:59 when the balance statements are issued, and payments are made within 1-2 days. You can contact Bolt GHANA anytime. 

 Bolt Ghana has continued to provide its customers with top-notch transport services and has proven that they are here to stay! The Company is geared towards providing travel options that are fast, easy, safe, reliable, and convenient. After familiarizing yourself with the requirements for becoming a driver, it is time to make your application and start your journey.  The average monthly earnings of a Bolt driver in Accra are 4000 Ghana cedi. Clients pay you in cash or via Bolt. The payout to your bank account every week. From the final price per order, Bolt charges an average of 15% commission. They can help you match with their partner fleets or rental companies who offer competitive rates on vehicles that are accepted on their platform. Instead of chasing down a taxi on a street—or calling and waiting half an hour for a car service—e-hail app users are able to hail a car from any location and have it arrive within minutes. 

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Rude, aggressive, and disruptive passengers are weeded out because drivers can also rate their customers. Consistently low ratings or reports of unsafe behavior toward drivers can cause the deactivation of an account.

Unlike yellow cab taxi drivers who work 12-hour shifts—or black car drivers who are scheduled by dispatchers—Bolt and other e-hail drivers enjoy greater freedom and flexibility. Bolt and E-Hail apps guarantee safety to taxi drivers. This is because transactions are cashless, hence drivers are not faced with unpaid fares from clients. Additionally, the driver does not have to carry huge amounts of money, which may make him/her a target for robbers.

According to relevant studies, Bolt is less expensive than traditional taxis. This is because, unlike traditional taxis where the fare is estimated based on distance, E-Hailing apps use metered rates to generate fares.

With all this advantage and technological implementations, what are you waiting for?

Join the autonomous way of moving around with Bolt.

TROSKY TO COMFY!!!

For many individuals in Ghana, the movement from one place to another over a long (or short) distance is only made possible by the trotro. “Trosky”, as it is mostly called by the youth in an attempt to make it sound cool, is the most used form of transportation in the country. It’s just a simple bus with a driver and a conductor who usually collects the money and prompts the driver when passengers want to get off- they are usually called “mates”. Whether it’s going to work, school, the mall, church, etc. many people rely on the trosky to help them get to their destination.

                                                                                                                     

 Although it is the most used form of transportation in Ghana, it is not the most favourite form of transportation for most people. Don’t get me wrong, it has brought a lot of benefits to Ghanaians since it came in the 1900’s however factors such as the uncomfortable seats, poor body maintenance, rude mates (not to talk about negative body odour) amongst other things can make a trip a little bit annoying.

                                                     

On my last trosky trip from school to my house, I had a very annoying encounter with the mate who for a “senseless” reason did not tell the driver that I would alight at the next junction. This human being (and let me tell you, I gave the mate a heads-up) decided not to tell the driver of my plan to alight soon because he thought the driver had heard me when I mentioned it. I had to alight at a further junction and walk twice as much as I would have if I had gotten down at my junction. (And let me tell you my house is NOT a stone throw away from the junction- it’s an ocean!) On my walk home, I had to try and control my facial expression because I didn’t want to scare other pedestrians off with the angry look that was slowly creeping on my face, safe to say I did not succeed.

                                                           

                     

Now for most Ghanaians who use the trosky, my story is not a surprise. For some, it cannot be compared to what they’ve experienced, like how one of my friends was not given her 15 cedis change on time by the mate and ended up getting off the car without collecting it. Therefore, she “dashed” the mate 15 cedis for free! I can tell you that since then, even if she had 1 cedi change with the mate, she wouldn’t wait for 5 minutes to inform the mate of her impending money, and if it didn’t come, hell sure will break loose in the car. Now I’m sure after reading the first part, you might be wondering if something has been done to counter all these outrageous menaces. Well my friend, this is where technology comes in!

                                                                                                                                                              

 Over the past years, most agencies including the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), have registered the “wahala” citizens face with the trosky. In 2016, the AMA in partnership with Agence Française de Developpenent (AFD) and Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) launched a 2-day challenge that aimed at creating an app that would help deal with the frustration that is associated with taking the trosky. According to their research, 70% of Ghanaians use the trosky and as such it is important to find ways to make it comfortable and less stressful for passengers. The challenge saw people come together to create apps that would allow people to order their rides, combat uncomfortable seating, and not have any trouble with who will take their money and when their change will be given to them. The winners of the challenge were the creators of Mo’Go, the CEO Ray Fifii Nkum and his accomplices. Although Mo’Go hasn’t made a name in the Ghanaian market, it has paved a way for other trosky apps to spring up, the most recent one being Comfy Transport.

Comfy Transport is an online website that allows you to order a trosky to assist you on your journey. Launched in August 2019, it is slowly creeping up the radar of most citizens in Accra. The website gives information about where pickup is going to be available (which is mostly along the Adenta-Accra road) and allows passengers pay for their fares via mobile money. All one has to do is to enter the link www.comfytechnologies.com, select the days one wants to board the ride, and then follow the steps to completing the request then just like that, one is able to sit in a comfortable, air-conditioned, neat, non-smelly trosky without the trouble of fighting with a mate for your own money!!!

                                                                                                                                                    

This is a great addition to the world of transport in Ghana. As technology is making significant changes in agriculture, education, finances (thank God for MoMo!), It’s quite refreshing that the world of Ghanaian transport has not been left out. With taxi app services springing up and charging and card services being added to the ayaalolo, it’s about time a new angle was added to the area of trotro.

 I am very happy about the starting up of comfy transport and I hope that more websites and apps will be created to cater for the Ghanaians who take the trosky all the time. I mean, we have Uber, Bolt, Yango, etc. it will make a great difference if we see more trosky apps emerging, at least that might prompt those arrogant mates to treat passengers well and give us back our hard-earned money “na nipa su y3 person!”

BY: ABIGAIL ADEYEMI.

GIFS: TENOR.COM.