Across busy routes, a growing transport practice known as “tot-tot” is leaving passengers frustrated and financially stretched.
For many commuters in Accra, the daily journey home is no longer just about traffic or long queues, it has become a test of patience, endurance, and increasingly, money.
Instead of completing full routes, some drivers and their conductors now deliberately break journeys into shorter segments, a strategy many commuters believe is designed to extort at their expense.
A trip that should go directly is often cut short at various stops, forcing passengers to disembark and board another vehicle to continue their journey. What appears to be a simple inconvenience quickly turns into a costly routine.
In many cases, a journey that would normally cost about five cedis (GHC5) ends up costing nearly double, as passengers are made to pay multiple fares just to reach the same destination.
Commuters describe the situation as both unfair and exhausting. Some say drivers suddenly change their minds mid-journey, especially during the evening rush, and begin loading only short-distance passengers to make more money.
Even more frustrating, passengers who alight before reaching certain points are sometimes charged the full fare, regardless of the distance covered.
“It’s very worrying,” one commuter shared. “You budget for your transport, but by the time you get home, you’ve spent more than you planned. Sometimes you’re even left stranded because you can’t afford the extra cost.”
For many residents, particularly those who rely on trotro daily, the impact goes beyond inconvenience. The practice disrupts planning, drains limited incomes, and adds unnecessary stress to already demanding days.
With few transport alternatives available during peak hours, commuters often feel they have no choice but to comply.
As the “tot-tot” system continues to persist, many are calling for stricter monitoring and accountability within the public transport sector.
Until then, for countless passengers navigating Accra’s busy roads, every stop is no longer just part of the journey, it is a reminder of a system that is gradually costing more.
A report by: Abdul-Razak Fidaus Nadia
