The transport strike, which has lasted for more than ten days, is severely disrupting travel and hindering trade. At bus stations, economic activity has declined sharply, plunging restaurant owners and vendors into a precarious situation due to the lack of income. Fares for trips between Matam and Dakar have skyrocketed, now reaching 25,000 francs, more than double the usual price. Furthermore, some localities that rely on weekly markets are experiencing a significant decrease in food supplies.

The truckers' strike continues to paralyze the region, causing a series of disruptions that are severely impacting the population. With mobility severely disrupted, several commercial sectors are experiencing slowdowns, as is the transport of goods. At the Wouro Sogui bus station, a true strategic crossroads serving various localities in the interior of the country, activity has ground to a halt. Usually a bustling hub, this space is now shrouded in a gloomy atmosphere, a symbol of the near-total shutdown of transport and the economic activities that revolve around the station.

Key local businesses, such as restaurant owners, Tangana (bus) and rickshaw drivers, and vendors of fruit, water, and juice in sachets, are facing severe hardship without income. The suspension of transportation has also led to a significant reduction in food supplies in some areas that relied on the weekly markets known as "loumas." With traders unable to transport their goods, these once-bustling spaces are now deserted.

In several areas, horse-drawn carts, Jakarta motorcycles, and unlicensed vehicles (clandos) are attempting to alleviate this crisis, but this comes at the cost of soaring prices for users. For example, to travel the ten kilometers between the towns of Matam and Wouro Sogui, one now has to pay 500 francs for a horse-drawn cart, between 1,500 and 2,000 francs for a Jakarta motorcycle, and between 3,000 and 4,000 francs for an unlicensed vehicle, the availability of which remains uncertain.

This situation is particularly difficult for residents, especially for the sick who are forced to travel to healthcare facilities. The scarcity of transportation options has also caused fares between departments in the region to skyrocket. Getting to cities like Dakar, Saint-Louis, Touba, or Bakel, already a challenging journey, has become a real financial hurdle. Travelers sometimes have to rely on touts operating discreetly, who impose exorbitant prices: 25,000 francs for Dakar, 20,000 francs for Touba, and up to 17,000 francs for Saint-Louis.

Despite the efforts made by the State with the increase in the number of vehicles in circulation of the national transport company, demand remains far greater than supply, making the situation critical for a large part of the population.

Mactar Ndiaye