By Temitope Akintoye,
The Lagos State Bus Rapid Transit System, BRT, has disclosed that it is set to implement coronavirus preventive measures on all buses in its fleet, and reduce a maximum number of passengers to 50 persons per bus, with the aim to protect the lives of its regular commuters and curb spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic on its platforms across the state.
BRT, since inception in 2008 has grown to become the state’s largest transportation system with corridors running through all areas of the state through which it transports millions of passengers on their daily commutes.
According to the management company for the state BRT, Primero Transport Services Limited, plans had been made to help mitigate a possible spread of the deadly virus through the bus services and that such plans would be implemented with immediate effect so as to ensure comfort and health of commuters on the transport system.
Primero revealed through a statement released on Friday, that it was set to implement proactive preventive protocols on all buses in its fleet including daily disinfection of its vehicles, provision of protective gears such as face masks for bus drivers and attendants, and setting a 50-passenger limit as a maximum number of passengers per bus trip.
The bus management body added that it would also work in partnership with the Lagos state government so as to implement daily disinfecting of BRT bus shelters across the state in order to ensure commuters’ health are protected while waiting for bus arrivals at the stations.
It reiterated that information was important to the state’s fight against the deadly viral infection, stating that it would provide hotline services to enable commuters phone-in to have their concerns addressed and their questions answered, and that coronavirus informative pamphlets would also be made available at BRT shelters for the benefit of commuters.
Primero urged Lagosians to be patient with the BRT system, saying that the coronavirus threat was a unique situation and that it would work to identify unique solutions to the problems which were posed by the pandemic threat.
The transport systems organisation assured commuters of its commitment to the safety of all its passengers, saying that it would continue to monitor developments on the coronavirus in the state and that it was poised to introduce other initiatives if necessary.
