LAMATA, Ashok Leyland Pact On Customised Buses

Ashok Leyhand, has announced plans to manufacture  customised  buses for Lagos BRT to meet the state’s requirements for its transit programme and to ensure that  the Lagos Metropolitan  Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) meets the increasing expectations of commuters in the state.

The Regional  Manager, Ashok Leyland  West  Africa,  Mr. Riyaz Nijum, disclosed this while on a visit to the newly commissioned Ashok Leyhand showroom and service centre in Lagos on Friday.

Nijum commended the management of the BRT for making the scheme successful that it becomes a model for other  states. “We are proud to be associated with the Lagos State BRT programme which has gown to become a model for other  states in Nigeria and West African countries.  We congratulate the LAMATA and the Lagos State Government on three years of successfully running the mass transit  programme and look forward to working with them as the programme  expand to cover more areas and cater for more people”.

He revealed that his company is continuously researching to understand the requirements of Nigerian commuters in order  to design customised models of buses suitable for mass transit operations in the country. He said that the first three  models of the customised  buses  will be launched  this year. “These new models will prove an excellent  fit for a comfortable transport system and they are customised to the Nigerian driving conditions”, he added.

Also commenting on Ashok Leylands plan Mr, Jacky Hathiramani, Managing Director,  Starling Motors Limited, authorised  distributors for Ashok  Leyland in Nigeria  ssaid, “we are excited at the special interest that Nigeria is getting  from  Ashok Leyland and would work with  them to ensure that this interest translate to benefits for  commuters. We will be providing the necessary support services to ensure that the brand performs effectively across Nigeria”.

Ashok  Leyland, India in collaboration with Ecobank Plc, supplied the National Union of Road Transport Workers  (NURTW) all 220 buses used for the Lagos State BRT mass transit programme. The  company is one of India’s largest vehicle  manufacturers and has built a reputation for  ruggedness and reliability.

Over 50,000 Ashok Leyland vehicles are currently being used by various mass transit operators across India. Four out of the five State Transport Undertaking (STU) buses come from Ashok Leyland. This includes the double-decker and vestibule buses which are unique models tailor made for high-density routes.

The commissioning of Ashok Leyland Service Centre in Nigeria and its plans to manufacture special buses customised to Nigerian environment underscores  the company’s long term commitment to working with the country’s authorities in developing world-class mass transit system in the country.