Some commercial vehicle operators in Ibadan have lamented the low turnout of passengers travelling for the Eid-el-Fitr celebration and holidays.

In separate interviews with journalists in Ibadan on Saturday, the drivers said there had been no significant surge in passenger traffic at the motor parks.

The respondents spoke at the Ojoo, Iwo Road and Sango motor parks.

They noted that the situation differed from the rate at which commuters travelled during the 2025 New Year celebration.

However, there was a slight upward review of transport fares to the lesser cities, while the fares to Lagos and other major cities did not change.

Azeez Abdullah, an official of the Park Management System (PMS) at Iwo Road Bus Terminal, said many were forced to celebrate in their base due to the nation’s economic realities.

Mr Abdullah said this contributed to the low turnout of commuters across all routes.

He added that the transport fare from the park to Lagos remained the same, between N3,500 and N4,500, depending on the destination park in Lagos.

“Transport fare to Ilesa, Ondo and Ado-Ekiti stays at N4,500, N5,000 and N7,000 respectively; we cannot increase the fare now because passengers are not rushing,” he said.

Similarly, a driver at Ojoo Bus Terminal, who chose to be anonymous, reiterated that passengers were not travelling as expected, thus forcing commercial motorists to maintain the transport fare.

He, however, noted that passengers might pay a little higher while returning to their base after the Eid-el-Fitr celebration.

According to him, this will be due to the usual rush to catch up with the official resumption date for civil servants and other workers who must resume work.

A passenger at the Sango Motor Park, Abeeb Adeleye, said he had stayed for hours waiting for a bus to Saki to be filled up.

He confirmed that there had been no significant increase in the transport fare due to the low turnout of passengers.

(NA