The government is launching the Tap and Go transportation system on February 19.

On Monday, February 19, 2024, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia will introduce the government’s “Tap & Go” transportation system.

The goal of the program is to use well-researched and organized technology to formalize and harmonize the unorganized transportation industry.

Additionally, it is a component of the government’s Digital Ghana Agenda, which aims to digitalize the Ghanaian economy to guarantee that everyone has the opportunity to contribute to and profit from the country’s growth.

On Monday, February 19, 2024, at 9:00 a.m., the launch is set to happen at Metro Mass Transit Limited’s (MMTL) headquarters.

In addition to announcing the upcoming launch, the MMTL stated that efforts are being made to transform public transportation in the nation.

To improve efficiency and establish stable transportation fares in Ghana, it stated that “this project will help to build a single system for the entire transport ecosystem for all the various transport operators.”

To pay for fares by swiping a card on a device installed in the bus, passengers could buy a card with a near-field communication feature on which money could be loaded from a variety of sources, including mobile money. This service was introduced in 2016 by the previous government in Ayalolo buses.

However, the Ayalolo Tap n Go service was a closed-loop payment mechanism designed only for Ayalolo.

What the Vice President is set to introduce, according to Techfocus24, is completely different because it was created locally in partnership with the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and is therefore larger and an open platform for all transport providers in Ghana.

Shortly, it will offer trotro services in addition to features that assist taxi-hailing and interstate bus services like Metro Mass, Aayalolo, STC, VIP, etc.

Additionally, Techfocus24 learned that, in contrast to the Ayalolo, the new system permits the lifelong use of a single card for payment on all modes of transportation. Therefore, customers don’t have to buy fresh cards for each journey.

Additionally, it saves travelers the hassle of needing to purchase tickets in advance for intercity travel, as well as the costs associated with printing tickets.

The issue, though, is whether Ghanaian commercial drivers, who have a history of disliking using technology at work, will be open to using the service. Making it mandatory for the sake of tax monitoring might be the solution.

The Tap and Go platform’s upkeep, associated expenses, and platform usage commissions provide another difficulty.

Users of well-known ride-hailing apps like Uber, Bolt, and Yango have already voiced their dissatisfaction with excessive commissions and are advocating for a decrease. Even if the government is unable to grow the new Tap and Go system to the same extent as the current private ones, it will be interesting to observe how that type of situation plays out when it goes countrywide.