The luxurious buses that the Adamawa State Government purchased to lessen the hardship caused by the removal of fuel subsidy have begun operating in Yola, the state capital.
The buses hit the roads in the three metropolitan local government areas of Yola North, Yola South, and Girei on Tuesday, charging a flat fare of N100 per route.
One of the revenue collectors of the buses, Mohammed Ahmed, confirmed that the fare of N100 per drop is collected and a receipt issued indicating both takeoff and destination points.
The routes covered by the buses include
Jimeta to Yola Town, for which Keke NAPEP, the sole form of intercity transportation before now, would charge between N250 and N350.
The other routes include Girei to Jimeta Modern Market, for which Keke NAPEP was charging at least N350, and Sangere to Jimeta Modern Market, which used to cost at least N250.
DAILY POST reports that the deployment of the buses, each of which has a capacity for 58 seated passengers with space for 46 others standing, will mean hardly any business for Keke riders, except for passengers needing quick rides, because the journey by the buses would be slower.
A Keke NAPEP operator, Jamiu Sadik, has already called for a reprieve.
Expressing fears that he and his colleagues would now never have any number of passengers to sustain the tricycle business, Jamiu urged the government to get Keke riders alternative jobs to avoid idleness that could result in a higher crime rate in the state.
