"TROTRO"

Majority of Ghanaians do not own private cars and therefore rely on commercial vehicles, Trotro. Mostly school children, workers, rely on these vehicles to get to their destination. These Trotros work daily and without these vehicles , most Ghanaians would be stuck at home. This article will help us to know the meaning and history behind the name"Trotro" in Ghana.

The name "Trotro" originates from the Ga word "tro" meaning three pence which was the fare paid when on board the vehicle. Therefore the Ghanaian society ended up with the name "Trotro". This name has been in existence since Gold Coast and till today still exists. Trotro is a very common mode of transportation in Ghana. The wide availability and cheap cost make this mode of transportation unbeatable.

However the youth of this modern generation (21st century) having learnt some language lessons and being adapting to western culture have changed the name to "Troski" which they claim sounds modern. Trotros  are mini-vans in various states of repairs which have fold-down seats fitted in the gangways which can carry up to fifteen to sixteen people . They ply any route across the country you could possibly imagine.

One can catch Trotros at lorry stations or the side of the road. If one boards a Trotro at the station, the driver will usually wait until the van is full before he moves the van. This means people can wait for an hour or more and with the fear of loosing their seats, they do not get out of the bus. One of the delights of Trotro travel is shopping through the windows. Most at times at the stations, women and children sell items such as : ice cream, drinks, meat pie, oranges, "insu"( water).

Trotro drivers drive recklessly on the roads by dodging traffic and over taking other cars without considering the consequences of their actions on the passengers. They do all these to get ahead of other Trotro competitors on the road.
 In spite of all these, riding in a Trotro is fun and exciting and also saves cost because its inexpensive.