While the federal government pledged that October 1 would mark the start of lower transport costs through the adoption of Compressed Natural Gas and electric vehicles, residents in Kaduna, Oyo, Enugu, Abuja, and Lagos report that daily travel prices have not budged. Across these states, commuters continue to pay the same rates for buses, cars, and tricycles, with many noting that fuel prices remain high at N1,400 per litre.
The Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles claims that lower operating costs are beginning to translate into cheaper travel in some areas. In Borno, for example, the state has deployed a fleet including 20 electric buses and 150 electric taxis, where government-subsidized fares are now set at N50 for buses and N100 for taxis.
However, commercial operators in other regions maintain that these interventions have not yet reached their routes. Findings in the Southeast show that passengers traveling from Enugu to Umuahia by bus are still charged N5,000, while trips to Lagos from Enugu remain at N42,500. Operators say the transition is currently stalled because the promised federal and state support has yet to materialize at their parks.
In the United States, Houston Independent School District (HISD) parents are facing their own transportation hurdles after switching to a centralized hub system for magnet and school choice students. Aimed at capping ride times at 90 minutes for school choice students, the new policy has forced some families to drive miles to reach the hubs, with parents reporting long wait times to contact the district for assistance.