BRT Mass Transist, Commuters lament against new style, describe new system as strange, anti-people

 

Passengers on  queue waiting by the side of BRT  without  being allowed to enter  on  Tuesday 17 June 

By allcitynews.ng

Passengers are facing toughest period in history of public transportation in Lagos State, as the management team of Lagos Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) suddenly injected unfriendly operating system.

The BRT, being regulated by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) suddenly brought in, a change in the way the public mass transist,  being operated by Primero Transport Services Limited introduced strange way whereby passengers are meant to stay in long queues inside hot weather or  inside raining period.

Allcitynews.ng findings discovered that the new style, mostly being used in Tafawa Balewa Square, Leventis Bus- Stop, Yaba and Berger Bus terminals, is applicable to commuters on Ojodu Berger along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway Road route.

Passengers standing inside the bus, 17/06/25

In a chat with allcitynews.ng, one of the officials at Yaba BRT terminal
who spoke without knowing that he was discussing with a journalist, said, "our new method is at least passengers must reach 40 people before we release a bus unlike before when we have buses waiting to pick passengers, but this time around, passengers should wait until they are more than 40 on the queue."

Reacting to harsh weather conditions that people are being subjected to, especially during rainy day, the man said, "irrespective of weather conditions, passengers should bear with us."

Some of the passengers lamented against the way and manner people are being compelled to wait when the buses  are parked nearby.

Mr Bolanle Bamidele said, "The most ugly side is that even though the buses are parked within, yet the management
will not allow passengers to enter,  they keep us waiting without any available seats for we to sit down during the waiting period."

Likewise, a lady who simply identified herself as Mrs Banjoko said, BRT management are gradually converting the BRT buses to other commercial buses by ensuring that the buses have many standing before they move.

"Until a bus is filled with many, standing and struggling to hold the handle,  they will not release the next bus which they parked somewhere."

On his own, a passenger with tag  bearing Okonkwo on his chest,  condemned the new style, "How can they subject people as if they are  stockfish while standing inside the bus, the management should correct the new tactics. I want to know if the managers in charge of other routes are different from those of Ojodu Berger because other routes are functioning properly."

And this medium noted that all BRT buses operating along 
Ikorodu, Iyana Ipaja, Oshodi corridors use to operate late hours, while those for  Ojodu Berger stop lifting passengers  once  it is 4pm.

It would be recalled that the initial idea of BRT was to operate from 6am-10pm daily, but now they stop operating at 4pm for Ojodu Berger corridor.

Efforts to speak with any more officials for confirmation proved abortive as  none of them is ready to talk.