Transporters Reduce Fares By 40% In Enugu

Commercial transporters plying to Nsukka from Enugu in Enugu State have reduced their fares by about forty percent.

THE WHISTLER gathered that the development followed the recent reduction in transport fares by the management of the newly-launched Enugu State CNG buses.

Our correspondent reported that the state buses recently reduced the fare from Enugu to Nsukka from N2,500 to N1,500. The reduction increased the passengers’ surge on various state-owned bus terminals which are the loading pits of the CNG buses.

As a result, major transport companies have also reduced their fares. It was gathered that Peace Mass Transit Ltd, a leading transport company in Nigeria, with a huge presence in Enugu State, reduced its fares from Enugu (Old Park) to Nsukka to N1,500. It was hitherto N2,800. It also reduced its fare from Nsukka to Abakpa, also within the Enugu metropolis, from N2,000 to N1,200.

A staff member of Peace Mass Transit, who identified himself as Obinna, said, “The order came from our management. The change is because we are in competition. The state government buses reduced their fares, and we began to lose passengers. We have also reduced ours, and as you can see, we are getting them again. It may not be quite profitable in our business because of the high cost of petrol, but we must move on. I commend the management. Of course, it only affected some routes. The fares for other routes, especially outside the state, still remain constant.”

Some drivers, however, claim that the development had adversely affected them. Osita Mbah drives a Sienna bus. He said, “I have been carrying passengers from Enugu to Nsukka for many years. Recently, due to the cost of PMS, we pegged the fare at N3,500. But since these ‘Peter Mbah’ buses reduced the fare to N1,500, passengers no longer patronise us as before. We have brought it down to N3,000; some charge N2,500, but the passengers have not been coming like before. I am considering another route. This is no longer profitable.”

Felix Ugwuanyi, a passenger, commended the government of Enugu for coming to the passengers’ rescue. According to him, “The state is our saviour. We now comfortably go to Enugu from Nsukka and return with N3,000. Before it was N3,000 going alone. We appeal to the state government to open more routes across the state. We have been over exploited by commercial drivers until recently. I advise transporters to embrace CNG buses to reduce their cost of services.”