Primero Transport Services Limited, the operator of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Lagos, has announced that its bus assembly plant being built in the state will begin operation in the second quarter of 2019.
While making this disclosure in Lagos, the firm’s Managing Director, Fola Tinubu announced that Primero Transport Services Limited had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with one of the biggest bus manufacturers in the world, Yutong, to establish the bus assembly plant in Lagos.
According to Tinubu, the firm’s plant had already been set up in the Epe area of Lagos State.
Tinubu further expressed hope that the plant would go into mass production of high capacity buses by the second quarter of next year when a new BRT corridor being constructed by the Lagos State Government between Oshodi and Abule-Egba would have been completed and allowed to operate.
On the plan to completely phase out manual ticketing in the first quarter of 2019, Tinubu said all passengers would be compelled to embrace the card system to remove the hassle of queuing to buy tickets.
He called for a conference of all the stakeholders to discuss how to make the public transportation work in Lagos and ensure its viability for investors.
About Primero Transport Services
Primero Transport Services Limited was launched on November 12, 2015, by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State at Majidun depot.
The firm commenced its full operation on November 13, 2015. Primero Transport, however, started functioning on approved routes with 70 buses out of the expected 434 Youtong high capacity buses with major terminals at Ikorodu, Agric and Mile 12, BRT lane extension from Ikorodu to Mile 12.
The transport company currently has 434 buses conveying 150,000 people daily across major terminals between Ikorodu and Tafawa Balewa Square.
In the nearest future, Primero Transport Services will increase its buses to 2,000 with the capacity to convey one million passengers daily.