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July 28th, 2016 was my first time commuting with the Lagos Bus Rapid Transit System also known as Lagos (BRT). BRT is a transport option, which relies on the use of dedicated ‘interference’ free segregated lanes to guarantee fast and reliable bus travel. It is a high performance public transport bus service which aims to combine bus lanes with high-quality bus stations, vehicles, amenities and branding to achieve the performance and quality of a light rail or metro system, with the flexibility, cost and simplicity of a bus system. The BRT buses run on segregated lanes and thus make them faster in a situation where there is traffic congestion. It is one of the several options available for tackling the huge public transport challenges of Lagos. The bus system which was created to help the masses commute from their pick up point to their places of business and of interest fast and safe is a highly commendable effort by the government however, the question is: “Are BRT air-conditioned buses a safe, clean ride in Lagos jungle?”
I decided to take a ride and compare various buses available so I can share from a personal point of view. First, I entered the yellow bus (molue/danfo) which till this day is a rugged means of transportation. I got into one from Apapa and to start with, the environment was quite dirty but everyone was blind to that as we all rushed to enter this available one. The chairs of the buses were dusty and in need of repairs not to talk of the possibility of a flat tyre or engine issues which eventually happened but thank God it was fixed. When I got to Costain, I stopped at the half completed bus terminal to wait for the blue BRT bus which I had heard so much about and couldn’t wait to experience. I paid for my bus fare and a receipt was printed out for me with no time wastage or problem with collecting my change. The issuer was quite jovial and friendly, he looked like he was happy with his job and even when I told him I would want to take a picture of him, he politely obliged. One after the other, the passengers made way into the bus and paid according to their different destinations.
Those going to Anthony paid N120, Those going to Mile 12 paid N150. Though we waited for 10 minutes standing in the sun with no place to seat or lean on, I was compensated on boarding the bus which had air conditioners. I had to stand because the 39 seater bus was occupied, I didn’t mind at all because the bus was way cleaner than the yellow Molue I initially took. Aside the coolness of the bus we enjoyed (thanks to the efficient air conditioners), there were also hangers for the passengers to hold while on the move and a mini television to keep us ‘occupied’ (though I wonder if one can really be focused while on road in the hustle and bustling city of Lagos where there is always something to distract you). One thing I observed though was that unlike the Molue, the bus driver didn’t move till everyone was inside and arranged in an organised manner…order in a bus in Lagos? That was a shocker for me! The bus driver had his own cabinet and it really looked like one was taking a bus drive abroad…the only thing though was that the driver wasn’t in uniform, I think that will make it better. There is also the option of pressing a red button signifying you are ready to get down at your destination and once that is done, the driver stops and you get down. What I enjoyed seeing so much in the bus was an old man sleeping peacefully like all his worries were blown away in the cool air but the irony of life is that he would eventually get down and the reality will hit him again…so if I call the BRT bus a temporary cool off machinery, I have spoken correctly.
I must note also, that the driver was quite professional and wasn’t reckless.
I finally got a seat when other passengers stopped at their various destinations. Indeed, the BRT bus is a laudable initiative, my suggestion will be that there is need for waste bins were people can dump their unwanted items so the bus will not be littered because I found some wraps of biscuits, ‘pure water’ sachets and the likes on the floor in the bus.
I arrived safely at my destination, Anthony, and after being through with the business I had there, I decided to enter another type of BRT so I could have another experience to compare and this time, it was the red BRT bus. I waited for a long time before it came however, while waiting, I keenly observed the blue BRT buses passing by one after the other with the inscription of where they were headed boldly written in red lights at the back of the bus. As I waited, I must confess I was very much tempted to enter the blue bus because the sweet experience was still fresh on my mind but because I needed to also have the ‘red’ experience, I decided to wait and wait I did for about 30 minutes and alas the red bus came but I was scared to enter…guess why? Truth is that the bus looked burnt outside and though I had the option of taking another, I had to enter because again like I said earlier, I needed the experience to make my story complete. It was a 42 seater bus and unlike the blue BRT buses that opens once you press the red button and you arrive at your destination, the door of the red BRT bus was already opened right before picking up passengers. Worse still, the door couldn’t be closed because it was spoilt and a stone was used to hold the door in place. There was a woman shouting out the different stop-overs from the window, calling in passengers to fill up the spaces of those who had gotten down from the bus. The more I heard her shout and watched her make the dangerous decision of protruding her head from the window, I thought of a reality TV show that I had watched titled ‘A 1000 ways to die’ which shows the different accidents that can make you lose your life and specifically, I had watched one with the exact same instance… “Does she know how risky what she’s doing is?” I thought to myself.
My experience with the red BRT bus was no different from the yellow Molue except that the red buses have more seats and your leg isn’t restricted from moving. Every other thing was same; it was dirty, needed repairs among others. Its either the cleaners and drivers of the red BRT buses don’t care or their challenges are ignored. The bus had no air conditioner, the hangers which were to provide support were dirty, the chairs were torn to the extent that I really wondered what could have completely gone wrong for the bus to be in that shape. The windows were dirty and looked like they were covered in tar and they made stops to carry more passengers despite how filled the bus already was. I couldn’t wait to get down and when I did, it was a beautiful ‘Halleluyah!’ Sadly though, I heard that when the red BRT buses were new, it had same features as the blue ones. We obviously do not have a good maintenance culture. My question is, “do we expect the same for the blue BRT buses in few years to come?” I am also aware that there are new red BRT buses too, so should we expect that it turns out bad due to misuse in few years down the line also? Is it about our mindset to adapt to change or the government’s ability to ensure a retained change?” Indeed, the government still has a lot to do to make our Lagos Bus Rapid Transit System perfect. There must be rules to ensure sustainability and the rules must abide.
RUTH UDEMBA
