The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has announced plans to deploy union guards and enforcement teams along major roads in Accra to clamp down on the practice of charging multiple fares on a single trip and dropping passengers midway — commonly known as short shot and roadside fare collection.
The move follows rising complaints from commuters who say they are often stranded or forced to pay additional fares after boarding vehicles outside approved terminals, particularly during peak hours.
Speaking in a radio interview on Citi FM on Thursday, January 15, 2026, monitored by Graphic Online, the Deputy Industrial and Public Relations Officer of the GPRTU, Mr Samuel Amoah, rejected claims that union drivers were deliberately avoiding terminals to exploit passengers.
He explained that the union had no incentive to keep vehicles off official stations, noting that drivers operating from approved terminals are required to pay tolls and union dues.
According to Mr Amoah, internal assessments by the union suggest that most vehicles involved in roadside fare abuses are not registered members of the GPRTU.
“Most of the vehicles that charge fares on the roadside and engage in short-shot practices are floating vehicles. They are not part of the union,” he said.
He disclosed that the union had begun mobilising internally to confront the problem directly, including deploying union guards and engaging a third-party enforcement team to identify and deal with offending vehicles.
“We are organising ourselves to go onto the streets with our union guards. If any of our vehicles are found engaging in these practices, we will facilitate their arrest and apply the appropriate sanctions,” Mr Amoah said, while acknowledging the difficulty in controlling drivers who operate outside the union’s structure.
Mr Amoah also advised commuters to board vehicles only from recognised terminals, stressing that drivers who pick up passengers from official stations are required to complete the journey for the approved fare.
“When you board a vehicle from the station to your destination, the driver cannot drop you midway and charge you again,” he said.
He added that the union was unhappy with the current state of the transport sector and was scheduled to meet the Minister for Transport later in the week to discuss enforcement challenges and broader commuter concerns.
The GPRTU’s announcement comes amid mounting pressure on transport operators and regulators to improve travel conditions in Accra, where commuters continue to complain of long waiting times, multiple charges and unreliable services.
