For all Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and Standard Routes, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has approved a flat rate hike of N100 in bus tickets, which will take effect on July 13.
This was revealed in a statement released by Mr. Kolawole Ojelabi, Assistant Director, Corporate Communication, Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), on Thursday in Lagos.
According to Sanwo-Olu, the increase was necessary to maintain the legal bus services in Lagos State.
“The increase, which will come into effect on July 13, is aimed at ensuring sustainability of the BRT and standard route schemes.
“These measures are indispensable in the current global economic and environmental reality to ensure the sustainability of the BRI operation.
“With the increase, a bus ride from Ikorodu – TBS will now cost N600 from N500 while Berger to Ajah is now N700, up from N600.
“Oshodi to Abule Egba will cost N450 from N350 and Abule-Egba-CMS-Obalende will attract a fare of N600.”
According to Ojelabi, the transportation program’s operations have recently been impeded by the rising cost of the inputs needed for reliable service provision.
He pointed out that this was also a result of the numerous buses nearby that were out of commission due to a shortage of replacement components.
For instance, between August 2020 and June 2022, the pump price of diesel increased exponentially from N187 to N830/litre, according to the BRT official.
He claims that this has significantly hampered the bus operating firms’ ability to operate at their peak levels, resulting in the withdrawal of buses from service and increased wait times at bus stops.
In addition to agreeing to the fee rise, the governor, according to Ojelabi, also authorized a plan for a bailout for the bus operating businesses.
He continued by saying that this was done to mitigate the effects of the challenging operating climate, protect private partnership investment, and prevent the state’s formalized bus operations from going out of business.
The BRT official said: “In view of the economic situation, the government is also providing support for the Bus Operating Companies in view of the continuous increase in fuel price.
“This is to ensure that the increase to the passenger is kept to a minimum. The fare increase notwithstanding.
“Government noted that whatever support this will provide to the operators, it will still not cover the cost of fueling, thus likely to put the continued survival of the bus operations on a tight rein.”
Ojelabi claimed that the governor also granted LAMATA’s request to switch from operating diesel buses to compressed natural gas (CNG).
He continued by saying that there had been a shift to more affordable, environmentally responsible mobility energy solutions.
