Beginning from 1st of February 2021, fare collection on bus services offered by Primero Transport Services Limited, operator of the Ikorodu to TBS Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) will be through the use of the Lagos State Travel card known as Cowry Card.

The Cowry Card is currently in use on the Oshodi to Abule Egba BRT system.

Managing Director, Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Engr. Abimbola Akinajo, who gave the directive said the use of the card will henceforth be the only mode of fare payment and administration of regulated transport services in the state.

She 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 in order to protect stakeholders’ investment in the transport 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 TSL.

The group also announced that a novel community bus scheme, First Mile and Last Mile (FMLM) Scheme, is soon to be launched as feeder system to transport services on the main transport corridors.

According to Engr. Akinajo, the services of FMLM would also run using the Cowry card.

She 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 2022to ease access to transport services in the state.

The e-ticketing mechanism has modern functionalities which simplify the process of bus booking and ticket purchase. It introduces simple solutions that guarantee seamless cash and wireless payment for passengers at designated booths.

The Cowry card will enable passengers to proceed to the loading bay and scan the card for fare deduction.

During its launch in August 2020, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu said: “With the e-ticketing system, we envisage the use of a single card on buses and ferries and later upscale to the railways system when passenger operations commence in 2022. The system promotes a cashless ecosystem, aids personal budgeting and planning and commuters can easily top up.”