Borno Express Expands Fleet to 300, Extends Operations to over 10 States
By Ahmad Kaigama
The Borno Express Corporation has expanded its fleet from one functional vehicle to about 300 buses, extending its operations to over 10 states across the country, its General Manager, Mr Grema Mohammed, has said.
Mohammed disclosed this in an interview with newsmen on Thursday in Maiduguri, saying the transformation was achieved through sustained support from Gov. Babagana Zulum’s administration.
He said when he assumed office as General Manager about seven years ago, the corporation had only one functional vehicle.
According to him, the corporation now operates across Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe, Katsina, Kaduna, Kano, Abuja, Nasarawa and Plateau, among other destinations.
He said the corporation had also established offices in states where it operated to provide accommodation and convenience for drivers and ensure proper rest before continuing their journeys.
Mohammed said the corporation currently had about 300 vehicles covering intra- and inter-state routes, including Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses.
He said the state government had also upgraded the corporation’s main terminus with modern facilities, including offices, lodges, convenience facilities, shops and luggage stores.
“The new terminus provides enough space for passengers to sit and relax before departure and has helped to reduce congestion and indiscriminate parking by motorists,” he said.
The general manager said the corporation had introduced separate transportation of luggage to other states, similar to cargo services, while its buses also serviced the 27 local government areas of the state.
He added that 100 new buses purchased by the state government were awaiting inauguration.
Mohammed said Borno Express Corporation, established in 1973, was created primarily to ease transportation challenges and alleviate the burden on citizens travelling within the North-East and other parts of Northern Nigeria.
He said the corporation monitored drivers across its routes, warned against speeding and arbitrary fare increases, and partnered with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to tackle drug abuse among drivers.
He added that private transport operators had also brought about 100 vehicles into the corporation’s system to support its transportation services.
