Lagos
As from February 1,the management of Lagos State Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) will commence fare collection on bus services offered by Primero Transport Services Ltd. with the use of Lagos State Travel card known as Cowry Card.
The Managing Director of the Authority, Engr. Abimbola Akinajo, gave the indication in a statement signed by the Assistant Director, Corporate Communication of LAMATA, Mr Kolawole Ojelabi, in Lagos on Sunday.
According to her, the Cowry Card is currently in use on the Oshodi to Abule Egba BRT system while Primero Transport Services Limited, operator of the Ikorodu to TBS Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) would commenced the use of Cowry card.
She said that the use of the card would henceforth be the only mode of fare payment and administration of regulated transport services in the state.
Akinajo explained that following the launch of the expanded e-ticketing system by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in August 2020, the use of the card had become imperative in order to reduce cash transactions in transport operation.
She said that if cash transactions was reduced in transport operations that it would protect stakeholders’ investment in the sector.
“LAMATA is the regulator of all regulated transport operators in the state.
” They include Primero Transport Services Limited, Lagos Bus Services Limited, Amalgamated Transport Services Limited, TJ Motors and Transport Service Ltd., (TSL).
“A novel community bus scheme, First Mile and Last Mile (FMLM) Scheme, will be launched soon as feeder system to transport services on the main transport corridors.
” The services of FMLM would also run using the Cowry card, “Akinajo said.
She, however, enjoined commuters to embrace the use of the Cowry card which would soon be extended to other transport services such as water and rail transportation in 2022 to ease access to transport services in the state.
