Coronavirus: BRT buses resume ‘standing’

The buses have commenced carrying more passengers than seats available.

This has led to many passengers standing during their journey.

A resident, Wemimo Adio, urged the state government to take appropriate steps to avoid a second wave of the COVID-19 infections.

“The workers at the BRT bus stops were just filling the buses with passengers, despite the seat being occupied. They are asking those standing to fill the bus. Sneezing and coughing everywhere, bad odour, no space for proper ventilation. And they are still stopping at bus stops to pick passengers. When I challenged the workers, they all shouted at me,” she said.

One of the residents who took a vehicle from Ikorodu to Ojota said the buses had to overload due to excess passengers on the queue adding that she had to stand throughout the journey as she had to get to her destination on time.

When contacted, a reliable source at the ministry of health said the government would work to ensure the vehicles did not serve as a source of spreading COVID-19.

BRT buses stopped carrying overload otherwise known as “standing” since the inception of COVID-19 in the state.

Other vehicles that hitherto carried half capacity, such as the tricycle and buses now carries full capacity.

Two passengers carried few months ago by tricycles have been replaced by four.

Experts are warning of a second wave of COVID-19 due to the lackadaisical attitude of Lagos residents. With overcrowding in public buses, the social distance rules of COVID-19 will be defeated.

As at Monday, November 16, Lagos has 97 new cases with a total of 22,501 confirmed cases out of which 21,019 has recovered and there are 220 deaths.