BRT boosts operations with 100 new buses

…operators say more expected

 Operators of the popular Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system have acquired 100 new buses to boost operations in what would bring relief to Lagos commuters who patronise the services offered by the scheme.

Tajudeen Agbede, Lagos State chair- man of the National Union of Road Trans- port Workers (NURTW), the operators of the BRT, who made this known, affirmed that the new buses would ease passen- gers’ traffic.

A major challenge confronting the BRT has been depleting fleet, with the operators not being able to replace them.

This over the years had resulted in long queues of commuters at designated BRT bus stops especially along the Ikorodu road. But with the new buses, Agbede said some worn-out buses would be tak- en off the roads.

“We have rolled out 100 buses to re- duce passengers’ traffic caused by less number of buses on the roads and those that are not in good condition.

We are still expecting more. All the buses that are not in good condition will gradually be phased out.”

Speaking further, he said “we cannot remove every bus not in good condition from the road at the same time.

Some of the rickety buses would be taken for re- pairs and put back to work to compliment the ones available for passengers’ use.”

Meanwhile, commuters have wel-comed the development saying some of the buses were long due for replacement.

Baderin Hakeem, a commuter at Mile 12, who patronises the BRT buses, said they should be increased in line with the operators’ mandate of rapid movement of passengers.

Hakeem urged the manage- ment of BRT to handle the buses well so as to serve the people longer before they get spoilt. “Some of the buses are still in opera- tion since the time BRT was established.

Most of the BRT buses in use now are in a very bad shape and need effective man- agement by the operators, to make them last long in servicing the people.”

He, however, commended the opera- tors for bringing in new buses to ease the stress of passengers using BRT.

Solomon Akinola, another Lagosian who patronises the BRT buses, urged the operators to maintain the tempo set by the immediate past administration in the state and phase out worn buses in its fleet.

“Although some new buses have started working, probably with time, the old ones should be out of road.

We thank the Lagos State government for initiating the BRT scheme. We appeal to the cur- rent regime to maintain the status quo,” Akinola said.