By Nyima Sillah
Gambia Transport Union has been urged to immediately resolve longstanding fare hitches as passengers accused drivers of unlawfully hiking fares and not returning changes.
Fatoumatta Jallow, a passenger urged Gambia Transport Union “should definitely put regulation on the transportation fees because some drivers are not honest.”
“Every day I pay D10 from Tippa garage to Westfield and the drivers never return back my change which is not fair. People think that most of these actions are done by taxi drivers and “Batch” cars, but van drivers are the worst because they filled the car to its capacity but still collect D10 from the commuters. Without any choice we also pay because having a car is hard,” she explained.
Ebou Sarr, also a passenger, said he often pays double fare, adding “If I closed from school, I pay double fares because I hardly get a direct car to Yundum. Some of these drivers will tell you that they don’t have change and if you ask them, they will quarrel with you or ask you to get down from their car.”
He added: “If the price of fuel is normal then all the drivers should charge the same transportation fees. I therefore urge the GTU to take immediate actions because most of the people that suffer are the students especially in the morning when everyone is eager to get to schools”
Manyima Sanneh said: “GTU should address this matter as soon as possible because not everyone can afford to pay the same amount of money.”
She said most of the people that suffer the most are students because they hardly get enough money.
