The passengers complained how transportation fare has been increased by commercial transporters up to about 100 or 50 percent from the normal price.
A passenger, Moyin Oladeji, said he now spends N300 or N400 sometimes between Berger to Ogba instead of N200.
Another passenger, Mrs Adaku Emmanuel, said she now spends N700 on transport from Ikorodu to Ojuelegba instead of between N400 and N500, depending on the type of vehicle or the driver one patronises.
“I work in CMS and usually board the BRT when going to office. I pay more on other commercial transportation when coming back home due to fuel scarcity,” another passenger, Mr Vincent Tony, said.
However, commercial transporters in Lagos have hinged the increase in transportation fare on the persistent fuel scarcity as many of them now have to depend on black market.
They ascribed the increase in transportation fare to the increase in the price of petrol at filling stations in the state.
In an interview with newsmen in Lagos on Monday, some of the transporters revealed how they have only been able to buy black market at exorbitant prices.
A commercial driver, Mr Chidi Emeka, who plies between Mushin and CMS, lamented how he was in a queue for the past three days at a filling station in Ijesha and still could not get fuel.
Emeka said he had to buy from black market, paying N7,000 for 25 litres of petrol, instead of buying at the normal price.
Emeka said, “I have to increase my fare because I have to recover my money and also make a profit.”
Another commercial driver, who shuttles between Ikorodu Garage and Igbogbo, Mr Taiwo Bankole, said he bought five litres of fuel at the black market rate of N1,500 and he increased the fare from N150 to N200 to enable him to recover his money.
“Government should please look into the matter and help the poor to survive,” Bankole said.
