BRT to carry 21 passengers as Lagos eases Covid-19 lockdown

Buses operated by the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) scheme will from Monday, April 4 commence operations with 21 passengers, as against the normal 70 .

This is in line with the Lagos State government’s directive to commercial transport operators reduce their carriage capacity to 60 percent.

Abimbola Akinajo, managing director of Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), the regulator of the BRT scheme, at a meeting with its transport franchisees, Thursday, also said that standing would be suspended and air-conditioning system not be used.

Akinajo, at the meeting attended by managing director, Primero Transport Services Limited, operator of the Ikorodu-TBS Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, Fola Tinubu and managing director, Lagos Bus Services Limited (LBSL), one of the operators of the Lagos Bus Reform Initiative, Idowu Oguntona, stated that operators must ensure that passengers wear face mask at all times.

They are also to make provision for alcohol-based sanitizer or handwashing with soap under running water before and after each trip.

She explained that operators were expected to disinfect their vehicles, and depots regularly under the supervision of the ministry of the environment and water resources in order to ensure standards and safety of the disinfectant being used

“Transport operators are also expected to have at the entrance of their respective terminals hand washing equipment with running water and alcohol-based sanitizers while they are also expected to provide alcohol-based sanitizers in their vehicles for drivers, inspectors and passengers;

“Bus terminals and bus stops must not be overcrowded with passengers and commercial activities at any point in time. Social distancing is required for passengers queuing to board buses. NCDC recommends that at least two metre distance is required between people,” said Akinajo.

She also asked the operators to provide temperature readers to test each passenger before boarding the bus; operators (commuters, drivers and inspectors) while all are mandated to always wear personal protective equipment- face masks and hand gloves.

Akinajo said passengers may report any operator that failed to comply with the guidelines to the monitoring officer at sight or write to LAMATA stating the vehicle registration number, its unique code, time of incident and location.