The operators of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in Lagos, Primero Transport Services Limited, says it has zero-tolerance for drugs and alcohol use by all its drivers and staff.
Its Managing Director, Mr Fola Tinubu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Wednesday that any “Busman” caught using drugs and alcohol would be dismissed automatically.
He spoke against the background of the BRT accidents on Sunday after two of the buses-collided at Agric Bus-stop, Ikorodu, and the various claims on the cause of the accident.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) had attributed the accident to recklessness on the part of one of the drivers.
Tinubu said that although the investigation as to the cause of the accidents was ongoing, the company always ensured that its drivers were physically fit and drug and alcohol-free.
According to him, the company trains its drivers and organised a medical screening for them regularly.
“We train our drivers every six months. All the drivers go for training regularly. Not only do they go for trainings, we do medical screening for our drivers to check that they are fit to drive.
“We check their eyes sight and physical well being because we don’t want anybody to slump behind the wheel. We check them every six months.
“We check randomly for drugs and alcohol also. This one is done for about 20 drivers in the morning and 20 drivers in the afternoon,” Tinubu said.
He said that the daily drug test was always carried out through random sampling and which no driver would have prior knowledge of.
“Even I don’t know who will be picked. We use the computer to pick them randomly. We are constantly checking them and we have absolutely zero tolerance for drugs and alcohol.
“We will not allow any driver to indulge in drugs and if we catch anyone, such is gone immediately. It is automatic dismissal on the spot,” Tinubu said.
NAN recalled that the firm said on Tuesday that it would prosecute one of its drivers involved in Sunday’s accident if found guilty after investigation.
No fewer than 20 passengers of BRT were injured on Sunday after two of the buses had head-on-collision.
One of BRT drivers, Mr Joseph Olayemi, died while he was being transported to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, for treatment following injuries he sustained in the crash.
The buses were identified as No. 432, driven by Olayemi, and No. 336, driven by Wilson Anta.
Olayemi was said to be checking in passengers at the bus stop when Anta, who claimed his bus had a brake failure while driving out of Ikorodu, rammed into bus 432 and wounded some passengers and the driver.