Kunle Adelabu & Jare Babatunde
As the month-long lockdown of Lagos State by President Muhammadu Buhari witnessed a partial unlocking on Monday, May 4, 2020, residents of Ikorodu besieged the BRT Terminal at the Ikorodu garage to board buses to their various destinations.
Although, the atmosphere at the terminal was in contrast to the social distancing order by the government as heavy crowd of passengers sandwiched themselves as they struggled to board the BRT buses, the management of the bus service adhered strictly with the directive which stipulates reduction of passengers.
Our reporter who visited the bus Terminal reported that only one passenger seated on a seat while there was no one standing in the buses.
Our reporter was also able to get photographs of passengers’ sitting arrangements inside the buses before they depart the terminal.
There was also total compliance by mini buses called ‘Korepe’ and tricycles, called ‘Keke Marwa’ in local parlance.
Our reporters, who monitored the level of compliance by the mini bus drivers and tricycle operators ato the directive by the government, boarded some of the tricycles in Igbogbo and Ikorodu garage roundabout and reported that the tricyclists carried the number of passengers stipulated by the government, though there was hike in the fares they charged.
It was also gathered that passengers complained that the 300 percent increment in the fares was due to the directive that the tricycle operators must reduce their passengers.
Our reporter also monitored the operations of the commercial yellow buses and cab plying Ikorodu- Mile 12- Ketu route and and Agric/Ogolonto reported that many of the drivers and conductors did not comply with the government directives.
According to report gathered, some drivers of the buses that were ordered to carry two passengers on a row actually carried more than that number while some loaded their buses to full capacity.
Against the directives, cab operators plying Agric/Ogolonto are carrying three passengers at the back seats.
They also hike the transport fares despite flouting the government order. This also apply to other routes where cab and mini – buses operators also hike fares.
The yellow bus that convey our reporter from Ikorodu garage to Majidun carried four passengers on the rear seat and three each on the middle and front seats.
Our reporter also gathered that while the drivers used the facemasks, their conductors struggled to cope with the new culture .
