We all woke up one
morning and we saw the invent of what we know to be the Red-Bus in England, in
Lagos Nigeria called the “BRT Bus” (Em we Nigerians have a funny way of naming
things, full meaning of BRT Bus “Bus Rapid Transit Bus” ), my generation would think
it is the first of its kind in Nigeria, My mum says it used to exist in Kaduna,
(well they are no more! Don’t forget the country you live in)
.
These buses are my
reasons why BRT busses are no competition to the Yellow busses “Danfo”.
Comfort, Reliability and Speeeed!!
No doubt the BRT bus
is comfortable (except for times when I have to stand due to over flow or for a
lady or an old person), but are they fast and reliable? Sometimes they can be
fast because they have a lane on some roads to themselves (the lane is built
with road blocks made of concrete and they sometimes bruise the bus, while some
buses have accidents). Other than that they are fast but not reliable at all.
Let’s consider my
day for instance, I got into Ketu Lagos by 1:00pm from Abeokuta, hoping to hop
into a BRT bus and get to Iponri in less than 30 minutes. And I waited, but let’s
start off with the long queue I met, that started from behind the bus stop
shed, well the queue started moving, as I moved forward I saw people on another
queue for people who would like to stand and it was pretty long, and I wondered
why there were many people there, I felt like joining them but I said to myself
I would be patient and I wait, and get a seat, than stand.
Little did I know
that would be the last bus for the next 1 hour? It was annoying waiting, more
annoying seeing empty BRT busses drive by behind the bus stop, only to hear
that most of them were on break! I’m like don’t these drivers have shifts! Do
all go on break like primary school kids! Geez! Finally some busses came, after
strenuous hours waiting for them.
So are they reliable not really, if you’re in
the city of Lagos you would know that these busses are usually having accidents
at least once a week!! No jokes!
The BRT busses do not
start on time and close by early by 9pm. Compared to Danfo! Omo na 24/7 don’t
dull! Won reliable kpa! No be small! #Nojokes… you need a bus by 2a.m there
will be Danfo bus driving around looking for passengers like you! When you need
to be on the Island by 5am and you’re on the streets by 4am I promise you will
find one Danfo! Or you can call their
customer agent Me! 08135158516 if you don’t find any bus at anytime and you
want one call. You have to know this there’s always a Danfo bus for you….
And again the Danfo
busses are freaking fast they can climb mountains, enter the ocean and pass
through homes just to get you to your next bus stop on time! I mean it! If you
notice any defaulters call me the customer care agent!!!
Flexibility
Erm… the BRT busses
are in no form flexible, the only flexibility I notice in them is the way they
extend their body parts, it’s terrible the maintenance of the busses is without
a doubt of no quality! (There goes our oil money!) [Rumour hast it, the busses are tokunbo, I
mean they were used in some country before they were imported]
The busses only exist on major roads, while
Danfo can be available from my
kitchen to my toilet!!
Bad Ad Ambassadors!!
Erm…. the BRT busses are used as “Ads
carries” like other countries and I think it’s a bad idea, because they
misrepresent the companies they are advertising for, the BRT busses are not
poorly maintained! They not maintained at all!!! You see busses broken down in
some parts of Lagos carrying Ads and what are you to think of the companies!!
The BRT drivers are BLOODY
mean!!!
School children are
meant to ride the bus for free, so the children wait and wait at the bus stops,
for any merciful driver that would let them in or any passenger that has fought
with the driver for ignoring school children at bus stops.. And its none of his
business if the children have spent their transport fare an want a free ride!
And
they seem to be very few on public holidays where they are for free,
punishing people who no other option [peeps who are anti-Danfo!].
The customer care
service of the BRT buss attendants is neutral [something that not bad but can
be better!!]. And BRT busses have lousy
horns!!
#SaveDanfo |
Do I prefer the
Danfoz to BRT busses yes! Would I ride the BRT bus again yes because I have no
choice! They have the ability to go long distances without having me connect
one bus to another [Danfoz don’t go long distances like BRT]
The BRT busses came,
did not conquer and the Danfoz are still taking over Lagos!
If you think
otherwise please counter my reasons with your comments!
Which is the best mode of transport in the
City of Lagos Okada, BRT Bus, Molue, Keke Marwa [Napep], or Finally my award
winning Danfo?