Transport operators in Lagos have bemoaned poor turnout of travelers one week after the lifting of interstate movement in the country.
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The Federal Government had imposed a ban on interstate travel in March after the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country.
However, the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 lifted the ban on June 29.
Moses John, manager, Cross Country Limited in Ikorodu, revealed that even the decision of the management to attract passengers by reducing fares is not yielding any result. He complained that social distancing had cost the company profits.
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“Because of social distancing, we now have to carry just seven passengers in a 14 or 15-seater bus. If we load a full bus before to a place like Rivers, we’ll get like N40,000 to N50,000. When you remove cost of fuel and other expenses, you will still make your gain. But now it is not so,” he stated.
“We have to carry only half the capacity of a bus. And we still said we will reduce the cost of transportation for travellers that come around. But there are even no passengers. Since July 1, only one bus leaves this park every day.
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“We always get one passenger going to Benin, another to Delta, Port Harcourt, like that. We’ve not had seven passengers going to one destination since we resumed. Before COVID-19, about four to five buses of travel daily.
“If government can allow us carry like nine or ten passengers in a 15-seater bus, then we can think of bringing down the price further.”
Brazil Elleh, assistant manager of Osayamen Line Transportation, which plies only Lagos to Benin City, said that majority of passengers turn back once they hear the new bus fare.
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“Before lockdown, we carry Benin in Siena for N3, 500, bus for N2,700, but now because of social distancing, we increased that of Siena to N5,000 and bus to N4, 000. Once passengers hear the price, they will just turn back with their load. They are saying there is no money.
“Yes we understood that, and that was why we reduced our prices Bus should be N6,000, then Siena N7,000. We need government to help us so we can carry like 10 or 12 passengers in a 14 or 15-seater bus. If things continue like this, we may not be able to pay our drivers,” he groaned.
Akan Utuk, manager of Akwa Ibom Transportation Company, owned by the state government, told Newsbreak that a 60 per cent increase in the bus fare has affected patronage.
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“You know we can’t carry the number of passengers we used to carry before. So we had to increase our fare from Lagos to Uyo from N6,500 to N10,000. We can’t blame government for what is happening, it is affecting everybody,” he stated.
Greener Line Transport Company, one of the biggest bus parks in Ikorodu, was deserted.
A driver in the company, who pleaded anonymity, said some employees were sacked because the company could not afford to pay salaries.
“We ply Edo and Delta States. If you come here before the coronavirus problem, this place is always busy. But today, only one car managed to load five passengers to Asaba.
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“The company sacked some staff this week because they can’t cope with three months of no income. Though those sacked are not drivers, but if not for COVID-19, it would never have happened,” he stated.
Idowu Alimi, chairman, Osogbo park located at Ikorodu Garage, lamented that it now takes too long for buses to get filled, which he blamed on increase in cost of transportation because of social distancing.
“A bus just left before you came. Normally, that bus should be close to Osun. We carry three passengers on each row before, but with social distancing, we now carry two and increased transport fare from Lagos to Osogbo from N2,000 to N3,000.
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“Government should help us and our passengers. If they can allow us to return to carrying three passengers, we will revert to N2,000 again. We have lost a lot of passengers because of that N1,000 difference,” Alimi noted.
However, Chidi Thompson, manager of Okeyson Investment Services Limited in the state, noted that the company has recorded better patronage by the day.
“It’s better than the first day. That was July 1. We ply Lagos to most of the states in the east. Patronage has been better. We don’t have a fixed cost of transportation for now because we get daily instructions from our board of directors in Abia.
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“But I must say that COVID-19 has really made business bad for us. It is not the best time to be in the transport business. A lot of people have travelled but are stranded. But to return, they are saying there is no money,” he said.
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