EXCLUSIVE: Ondo to rename free shuttle bus, charge N50 per trip

Damilola Olufemi

The Ondo State government plans to reintroduce the school shuttle bus which had been suspended for over a year.

The bus was introduced by the administration of former Governor Olusegun Mimiko, taking school children in the state to and from school free of charge.

It was however suspended during the administration of the present Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.

Special Adviser to Governor Akeredolu on Transport, Tobi Ogunleye had in an earlier interview with WesternPost debunked news making the rounds that some of the buses had been taken to Imo State – where the first lady Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu hails from.

According to him, the buses were stopped due to COVID-19 and financial constraints.

WesternPost has, however, gathered that the bus will be reintroduced by the state government in the coming days.

According to a source in the government who spoke with our correspondent but did not want to be named, the government plans to reintroduce the shuttle bus with a new name and charge a fee.

“The buses will no longer be named ‘Free Shuttle Buses’ but ‘Ondo State Shuttle Buses.’

“In the new scheme, with the introduction of a token, we want to extend it to other local governments.

“We are introducing a token. N50 to, N50 fro. It is as good as free.

“The memo is currently with the Executive Council and as soon as it is ratified, we are rolling it out.

“We are going to repair, service and maintain it,” our source said.