Oborevwori Approves 50 CNG Buses To Launch Delta’s MORE Mass Transit Scheme
By MAY ETAGHERURE ATUZULO
DELTA State is moving closer to launching its MORE Mass Transit Scheme after Governor Sheriff Oborevwori approved 50 Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, buses for the pilot phase of the programme.
The initiative aims to make public transportation safer, more affordable and more reliable for residents across the state.
The government plans to use the pilot fleet to begin building a more organised mass transit system that can serve workers, students, traders and other commuters.
For thousands of residents, daily movement depends heavily on public transport. Getting to workplaces, schools, markets and other essential destinations often comes with concerns over cost, availability and convenience.
Consequently, the state government has identified the need for a more structured transportation system.
Preparations for the scheme included a study of transportation patterns across Asaba, Warri, Ughelli, Agbor, Sapele, Abraka and Oleh.
The study found that about 80 per cent of commuters in the surveyed areas depend on public transportation.
That level of dependence has strengthened the case for a government-backed mass transit system capable of moving larger numbers of people more efficiently.
The MORE Mass Transit Scheme will provide both inter-city and town transportation services.
The 50 CNG buses will form the first operational fleet under the pilot phase.
Beyond the buses, the programme also includes plans to develop supporting transport infrastructure.
A proposed mega bus terminal in Asaba is expected to serve as part of the infrastructure required to support a more coordinated public transportation network.
The decision to introduce CNG-powered buses also places the scheme within Nigeria’s broader shift towards alternative energy sources in transportation.
For commuters, however, the immediate test will be more practical.
Will buses arrive when they are needed? Will fares remain affordable? Can the system connect residential communities with workplaces, markets and schools?
Those questions will likely determine how residents judge the scheme.
If properly implemented, the MORE Mass Transit Scheme could reduce some of the pressure commuters face in their daily search for transportation.
It could also improve connections between major towns and communities while creating a more predictable system for urban and inter-city travel.
The approval of the 50 buses therefore marks more than the expansion of a vehicle fleet.
It represents the first step in a wider effort to reshape how people move across Delta State.
