Primero Transport Services Limited, operators of the Lagos Bus
Rapid Transit (BRT) says it has secured approval to increase its
fares across all routes with effect from Friday to keep serving the
people.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) had earlier reported 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BRT operator had withdrawn its services since Monday over losses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.
Earlier on Thursday morning, Mr Fola Tinubu, the BRT Managing
Director, told NAN that the management would resolve all issues
with the government in the afternoon and restore services on
Friday.
Updating NAN after the meeting, 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).
According to him, the firm understands the plight of the people
and the economic situation, but the step became imperative to keep
serving the commuters diligently and to provide a world class
service for them.
“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.
He said that the firm would be back in full operations and would
put 320 buses out to make sure people got to destinations in time
and safely.
According to him, the firm will ensure that going forward, the
wait time and queues at bus stations is reduced.
Primero Transport Services Limited, operators of the Lagos Bus
Rapid Transit (BRT) says it has secured approval to increase its
fares across all routes with effect from Friday to keep serving the
people.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) had earlier reported 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.
Earlier on Thursday morning, Mr Fola Tinubu, the BRT Managing
Director, told NAN that the management would resolve all issues
with the government in the afternoon and restore services on
Friday.
Updating NAN after the meeting, 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).
According to him, the firm understands the plight of the people
and the economic situation, but the step became imperative to keep
serving the commuters diligently and to provide a world class
service for them.
“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.
He said that the firm would be back in full operations and would
put 320 buses out to make sure people got to destinations in time
and safely.
According to him, the firm will ensure that going forward, the
wait time and queues at bus stations is reduced.