Lagos BRT operator rolls out 320 buses, hikes fares

Abiodun OBA

Primero Transport Services Ltd., operator of the Lagos Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), says  it would on Friday (today) roll out 320 buses to make sure people get to destinations in time and safely just as it increases fares across all routes.

BRT Managing Director, Mr Fola Tinubu, said: “We are going to increase our pricing effective from tomorrow Friday May 29. We agreed on this after our talk with the Lagos State Government.

“Everywhere commuters are paying N200 for a trip, it is going to be N300 and everywhere commuters are paying N300 per trip, it is going to be N500.

“We are increasing our fares. We have secured permission of the regulator (Lagos State Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA).

“We are doing this not to punish anybody or to victimise anybody but because the circumstances we found ourselves forced us to do it.

“We need to make sure the company is on a sound financial footing, and if we don’t do this, the buses will not be available in the long run and there will be no way for us to fix buses and bring new buses.

“The business must be on a solid financial footing. Without this, the company cannot survive, and if the company does not survive, it will even cost commuters more in the long run.

“We understand that this is going to put some hardship on people but if we don’t do this and the company goes under, it will even cost the people more,” Tinubu said.

He said that the number of passengers on the buses would also be increased to 42 with no passenger standing on buses as against 20 earlier approved by the government to curb spread of COVID-19.

The managing director expressed regret for the inconvenience and distress the withdrawal of services had caused the teeming commuters in Lagos since Monday.

According to him, the firm would ensure that going forward, the wait time and queues at bus stations was reduced.

Recall that the BRT operator had withdrawn its services since Monday over losses occasioned by COVID-19 new transport guidelines that mandated it to commute only 20 passengers per trip instead of 70.

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