Fare hikes bite as interstate travel resumes

Passengers across the country are groaning following the 100% hike in transportation fares as transporters fully resume interstate travels nationwide. The federal government, which had earlier placed a ban on interstate movement as part of measures to curtail the spread of COVID-19, recently lifted the ban under its second phase of ease of lockdown. Reports […]

Passengers across the country are groaning following the 100% hike in transportation fares as transporters fully resume interstate travels nationwide.

The federal government, which had earlier placed a ban on interstate movement as part of measures to curtail the spread of COVID-19, recently lifted the ban under its second phase of ease of lockdown.

Reports from our correspondents across states in the country indicates that most of the interstate transport operators have increased their fares by double in their bid to comply with the COVID-19 protocols in terms of the number of passengers to carry per trip.

In Sokoto, some passengers who spoke described the increase as “outrageous”.

Daily Trust Saturday learned that some passengers shelved their traveling plans after being told about the increase of fare price at the motor parks.

Our reporter observed that vehicles such as Sienna that formerly carry nine passengers per trip have reduced to five passengers per trip.

A trip from Kano to Kaduna which was previously N2,500 has increased to N5,000 while Sokoto to Jos is now 6,500 as against N3,500 charged before the lockdown.

Similarly, a trip from Sokoto to Abuja and Gusau which were N5000 and N1,200 respectively is now N7,000 and N2,000 respectively.

A passenger, Mr Bulus Chung who was travelling to Jos , described the increment as outrageous with the masses being at the receiving end.

A driver at the park, Aliyu Muhammed said even with the increment, they were not making gains in view of the recent increase in the price of petroleum and incessant extortion by security agencies on the road.

Our correspondent reports that hand washing equipment were kept at strategic points within the premises of the garage where passengers and business owners wash and sanitize their hands before boarding vehicles.

In Plateau State, our correspondent who monitored the main park in Jos the state capital, NTA park, found that the operators have reduced the number of passengers they carry in compliance with the physical distancing order and have equally hiked fares.

Those who ply Jos to Kaduna, for instance, now take two persons at the back and one in front and charge N2, 700 per passenger as against the previous N2,000.

With respect to hand washing and sanitizers provision at the park, it was observed that nothing of such was in place in the park.

Passengers and motor park officials were, however, spotted wearing face masks.

In Bauchi, our correspondent reports that many motor parks in the metropolis do not observe the COVID-19 protocol following the lifting of the interstate ban and easing of lockdown across the country.

At the NEPA Motor Park, commercial drivers and union officials do not observe the stipulated COVID-19 protocol in loading of passengers.

But in the Dass Park, union officials observed the protocols as as they insist that only passengers wearing face mask are allowed to board their vehicles.

Our correspondent observed that all military roadblocks and police checkpoints have been removed following the lift of the ban on interstate movement.

In Kaduna, a transport operator at the Unguwar Sarki Motor Park, Abdulkadir Isa Rishi told Daily Trust Saturday that they were happy with the decision to lift the interstates’ travel ban, saying the motor parks were ready to comply with the protocol set aside for transporters.

“For instance, we would make sure that small vehicles like Sharon carry only five passengers instead of eight; one passenger in the front, two at the middle and two at the back seat”, he said.

Our reporter observed that passengers in the park were made to wash their hands at the entrance to the motor park while the use of face masks was made compulsory for all passengers.

It was also observed that drivers were given sanitizers to apply on passengers before boarding their vehicles.

In Kano, it was observed that transportation activities have partially resumed as a result of the lift of the ban on interstate restriction.

However, our reporters gathered that the level of compliance with regard to the social distancing and use of face masks was not anything to write home about.

It was observed that there were hand washing points but majority of the commuters were not using face masks even though they claim to have them in their pockets.

A driver at Wambai motor park, Malam Dalhatu Ibrahim, told our reporter that the number of passengers was reduced but the transport fare has almost doubled.

“This is because; you have to cover the number of passengers dropped and also have something to settle security personnel at the check points. So, you can see that it is the passengers that suffer”, he said.

Similarly, at KAROTA station Motor Park along Zaria road, a driver, Jamilu Adamu, said they heard only about lifting of the ban through the media, but were not briefed by either government officials or their union on any guideline for loading passengers.

“We are loading as usual because we are yet to be briefed on how to go about loading passengers, and even those who reduced the number, it is the passengers who bear the brunt,” he said.

On the issue of road blocks, Daily Trust Saturday gathered from drivers coming from northeastern states of Gombe, Bauchi, Adamawa and Borno that all road blocks were removed in compliance with the federal government directive.

In Ogun State, motorists partially complied with safety measures on the prevention of coronavirus following the lifting of the ban on interstate travels.

While transporters have since effected spacing of passengers to ensure physical distancing, adherence to mandatory face mask was partial.

At popular  Kuto  Park in Abeokuta, Daily Trust Saturday observed  that most of the passengers did not wear face masks. Besides, there was neither hand sanitizers nor provision of hand washing facility at the park.

In Oyo, our correspondent who visited major parks such as Iwo-road motor parks, Challenge Motor Park and Ojoo Motor Parks, observed that it was still business as usual for the transporters.

Daily Trust Saturday reports that buses are conveying 14 passengers while cars are loaded with four passengers to different destinations. There were no hand-washing points or sanitiser provided at any of the parks visited.

In Rivers, our correspondent reports that inter-state movement has resumed fully.

It was observed that all the barricades and obstructions placed by the state government in the boundary areas such as Imo gate boundary between Rivers and Abia and that of Elele boundary with Imo state have been removed while motorists now ply the routes without checks.

At the Port Harcourt/Aba road route leading to the Imo gate boundary of Rivers State, the barricade has been removed while different sizes of heavy duty trucks and passengers vehicles  were seen trying to transit to Abia State through the Imo gate.

Few policemen are stationed along the Oyigbo Aba route to maintain free flow of traffic.

Few parks in Port Harcourt and Oyigbo have also opened for business while the commercial transporters are yet to comply with the directive of carrying few passengers as to observing social distancing.

Our reporter observed that none of the parks in Oyigbo and Port Harcourt make provisions for hand washing points and sanitizers.

At Oyigbo/Eleme Route Park, many passengers were crammed in a vehicle just as sanitizers, water and buckets were not provided for passengers.

In Uyo, inter-state transport fares have doubled following the lifing of the ban on vehicular and human restriction.

When our correspondent visited major parks in the state, it was observed that they adhered to the COVID-19 precautionary measures, even though it was not as busy as it used to be before the restriction on movement.

At the Akwa Ibom Transport Corporation (AKTC) Park in Itam, Uyo, the use of face masks and hand sanitizers, as well as checking of temperatures of passengers were being observed.

The new fare for each destination was boldly written on the wall. For instance, Uyo to Lagos or Abuja which was hitherto N6, 000 is now N11,000 while front seat attracts N13,000 fare.

Uyo to Benin which was N3,000 is now N6,500, while Uyo to Calabar is now N2,000 as against N1,000; Uyo to Kaduna is now N13,000 as against N6,700, while Uyo to Ibadan is now N11,000 as against N6,000.

The ticket sales persons told our correspondent that the buses now carry only 9 passengers as against 14, while all the buses were not allowed to use Air Conditioner while on transit because of the coronavirus.

Speaking on the transport fares, Mrs Angela Afia, General Manager AKTC, said the increase in transport fares was due to the reduced carrying capacity of the vehicles.

She explained that the company has complied with the directive of government on carrying only 50 per cent capacity to maintain social distance.

“As an organization, we’ve been able to put some things in place to make sure we join hands in containing the spread of COVID-19.

“We’ve acquired some kits for our personnel, like the hand gloves, face masks and hand sanitisers to protect our workforce. We have also gone far to get the Infrared thermometer, which we use to test all passengers coming in here”, she said.

A passenger, Ms Deborah Wilson, who boarded the Rivers Transport Services vehicle at Itam park said she was travelling to Port Harcourt to visit a friend but never envisaged that the fares would be so high.

“I am going to meet a friend that I have not seen for a long time now. I planned going there before now but because of COVID-19, I could not. When I learnt that the inter-state ban has been lifted, I came here but discovered that the transport fare is too high. I intend to spend just a week in Port Harcourt,” she said.

Meanwhile, the road blocks mounted by security agencies to restrict movement have been removed.