The National Transit Authority (NTA) of Liberia is planning to expand its services to RiverCess and Sinoe counties. The Managing Director of NTA, Edmund Forh, announced that the entity is nearing routing to Cestos City in River Cess County and Greenville, Sinoe County. This move aims to provide affordable mass transit to residents in these counties, which have been neglected in the past. NTA is the Government of Liberia's state-owned public transport company responsible for providing safe and dependable transportation.
NTA was created in 1977 as a department of the Monrovia City Corporation to serve Monrovia residents. The National Legislature passed the NTA Act in 2007, and former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf signed it into law in 2009. The NTA's mandate is to establish and implement an efficient national transit system to ensure the safe transportation of people and goods within and outside Liberia at a reasonable cost. The entity also aims to acquire, equip, and maintain buses.
The NTA Managing Director, Edmund Forh, disclosed that plans are underway to extend services beyond River Cess and Sinoe counties. He stated that services will be extended to the southern and southeastern counties in the upcoming dry season. Forh explained that the planned expansion is in line with NTA's sacred mandates as enshrined in the Act that created the entity. The NTA boss also announced a new routing route to two of Lofa's main cities; Voinjama and Zorzor.
The fares for the new routes have been announced, with the fare from Monrovia to Voinjama set at L$2,500, while from Monrovia to Zorzor would be L$1,500. The NTA is also working on developmental initiatives, including building bus terminals across the country and renovating previously built and damaged terminals. The goal is to enable the swapping of passengers and ensure their safety. A land space in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County, has been secured to construct a bus terminal.
To ensure passengers' safety, the NTA is implementing measures to curtail the transportation of prohibited items such as firearms and drugs on NTA buses. This is done through proper search procedures while passengers are boarding the buses and getting their luggage. The head of the public transport service also narrated that management is training and engaging drivers due to many complaints received, to move in line with the requisite speed limit.
The NTA is currently working with a speed management company to control speed, perhaps at 80km/h. A pilot test of internet on one of the buses has just been completed and will be replicated on other buses. However, the entity faces challenges, including a shortage of buses, with only 65 to 70 buses currently available. The NTA needs about 250 buses to adequately serve the Liberian public. The current fleet is far below the target of meeting the needs of Liberians.
The NTA is making a deliberate push to recruit more female drivers. Of 10 female applicants, one has already passed the recruitment test, while nine others are currently undergoing training. The Authority has also established an Occupational and Safety Department. Long-range plans include developing a destination plan for mini-buses to enhance intra-city movement, constructing a Guest House project, and operating ambulance services under the NTA.
Key points
- NTA aims to expand services to RiverCess and Sinoe counties.
- The entity targets 250 buses to improve public transportation.
- NTA implements safety measures, including search procedures and speed management.
