Africa-Press – Gambia. Dozens of workers and students commuting between Turntable, Serrekunda, and Banjul have complained over transport difficulties describing the situation as frustrating and disruptive to their daily activities.
Fatou Ceesay, a student, described the shortage of vehicles as unfortunate, noting that commuters often wait for hours at car parks without success.
She says the situation is particularly difficult on Mondays, when both workers and students struggle to secure transport. According to her, many students wake up very early to attend lectures but still miss classes due to lack of transport.
“Students suffer the most. Many miss classes for days, which can negatively affect their education,” she remarked.
Another student echoed similar concerns, pointing out that school buses are insufficient to cater for all students. She called on the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education to provide more buses to ease the problem.
Workers have also expressed deep frustration over the situation. Lamin Secka said the shortage has made commuting extremely challenging, especially for those who cannot afford taxi fares.
“Standing for up to two hours just to get a vehicle is very hard. The Tippa Garage–Serrekunda–Westfield route is especially difficult in the mornings and afternoons,” he said.
Sheriff Sanyang, another worker, said the transport shortage has severely hampered the movement of people travelling from the Kombos to Banjul. He also criticized what he described as arbitrary fare increases, particularly in the evenings.
“Drivers do not go straight to Banjul, and transport fares change automatically, especially after 4:00 p.m. There is no clear law regulating the transport sector,” he said, calling for stricter regulations.
He urged the Transport Union and the relevant ministry to work together to regulate the sector.
Explaining the cause of the vehicle shortage, driver Alagie Manneh attributed it to challenges surrounding the renewal of driving licenses.
“Many licenses have expired as the year is ending, and drivers are afraid of police checks. Licenses can only be renewed next year, so some drivers have packed their vehicles,” he said.
Another driver, Malick Ceesay, confirmed the difficulties in license renewal which he said contributed significantly to the shortage in transport. “Packing your vehicle for a whole day without working is not easy. Drivers also have families to feed,” he remarked.
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