Passengers commend Roman Hill GPRTU branch for branding transport operators, others

Some passengers who board cars from lorry terminals at Kumasi Roman Hill to areas like Konongo, Atonsu, Agogo, Jachie Pramso, etc. have commended the GPRTU executives for making an excellent move that seeks to protect passengers and others who come into contact with any of their workers.

According to the joyous passengers who spoke to this writer, branded outfits given to drivers, mates, station masters and GPRTU officials with inscriptions is an excellent initiative that will help them easily identify them.

Commending the Roman Hill GPRTU officials, passengers disclosed that the branding would help them and others see any driver or mate who offends them or should they mistakenly leave their items in a car.

"Now, we can trace them with ease in case there is any incident. We applaud the executives here for such an excellent initiative. We are telling other branches to emulate," they said.

Drivers, mates, station masters and union officials of the area have been branded with different uniforms to ease traces. While drivers wear Cream T-shirts with their inscriptions, mates wear Red T-shirts with their inscriptions. Union officials are however expected to wear Blue T-shirts and other varied shirts on different days with their title inscriptions.

Explaining the reason for the initiative to this reporter, the branch chairman, Mr. Benson Akuoko disclosed that the initiative was done to instil discipline in members.

According to him, the branded T-shirts are meant to make it very easy for passengers to identify drivers and mates who may put up bad behaviours in their course of duty. He further disclosed that the initiative was going to allow passengers to identify drivers and mates in case they leave their items in their cars.

"It's very disturbing that sometimes people wrongly accuse drivers and mates for some things they have not done. For our branch, we already know how disciplined our workers are. Look at all these things; mobile phones, bags and many other items of some passengers who board our cars. The drivers bring them here due to how mature and cultured they are. But, we want to do this for people to easily identify everyone in case there is any incident," he said.

According to him, though station masters, drivers and mates within his outfit had already been schooled on the need to respect and relate well with their passengers, there was the need to put in mechanisms through which such behaviours would be monitored and controlled, hence, the new initiative.

Expressing his commitment to making sure passengers are satisfied, Mr. Akuoko urged his drivers and mates to make sure they always comply with the rules so that they don't do things that will bring the brand's name into disrepute.

"The bad name tag which is usually attached to drivers and their mates is something we want to eradicate. There is already a discipline here, but we want to add more to distinguish ourselves," he added.

Lastly, he urged the station masters to make sure their subordinates comply with the new rules.

Station masters, drivers and mates who expressed satisfaction over the new initiative thanked the branch's GPRTU officials for the unprecedented initiative.

While station masters pledged to supervise their subjects well, drivers and mates pledged to be disciplined all the time.