During the Eid-el-Fitr celebration and holidays, commercial drivers in Ibadan are facing a significant challenge as they lament the low turnout of passengers, affecting their operations and earnings.
A visit by the News Agency of Nigeria to central motor parks at Sango, Iwo Road, and the Ojoo bus terminal revealed a scene of idle drivers with few passengers around.
One of the commercial drivers, Mr. Musibao Alani, expressed his concern about the lack of passengers, attributing it to the prevailing economic situation. He said, “People are not travelling like before, and it is understandable because of the present economic situation. Everyone is managing the little resources available to them. So, travelling is not a top priority for many people.”
Chairman of Saki Motor Park, Mr. Michael Adelokun, observed that despite the extension of the holidays by the Federal Government, there was no significant increase in travel. He mentioned, “Perhaps, this is affecting the usual surge in travel, because people did not know that there would be a change and that an additional day would be added to the holidays.”
Adelokun noted the low patronage in motor parks, attributing it to financial constraints among passengers. He emphasized that transport fares remained unchanged despite rising costs in the transportation business.
A driver at Iwo Road Motor Park, Mr. Aina Salawu, described the current atmosphere as quiet and lacking the usual hustle and bustle. He highlighted the negative impact on drivers who endure long hours under the sun, only to earn little or nothing due to low patronage.
Passengers also shared their experiences, expressing frustration over long waiting times and limited transport options. Mr. Ashiru Mukaila mentioned waiting for hours for a car to Lagos to fill up, which he described as unusual.
Mrs. Bunmi Tomori echoed similar sentiments, stating that while she needed to travel to be with her family during the holidays, the trip was becoming burdensome due to the lack of available transportation options.
