SLC33-W3: My Community, My Story – Transportation in My Area

Transportation is one of those essential things that we use on a regular basis. We go out to different places to our workplace, to school, to market, to hospital or anywhere we want to go to by means of transportation.

Therefore it is essential and doing a daily budget we need to include this and even our monthly budget, it's important we include transportation as one of those essential things.

So in different areas there are different means of transportation we have the train, the buses, mini buses, tricycle, motorcycle, boats, canoe, airplane, cars and bicycle.

So all these are available in my area but then the mostly use are tricycle, motorcycle, car, buses, so all these are used depending on your location.

What is the common means of transportation in your community? Tell us, including the location of the transportation

In my area, Uyo which is the capital city of Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria. We have an active and easy means of transportation system that supports the daily movement for people going from one place or the other. We have a public transport system that helps people who do not have a private vehicle to move around.

Buses

So for the public transport, the most common means of transportation in Uyo include minibuses, shuttle buses, tricycles (popularly known as keke), motorcycles (okada), and Uber services (taxi). These vehicles usually operate across major roads in my area. They are available in all the areas you may want to go and recently our governor has introduced CNG buses which will also be transporting people to wherever they want to go in my state. The buses have not yet started working as drivers are still under training.

Tricycles (keke) and minibuses

Then some Motor parks, keke stops or loading points is available where some commuters can easily access these vehicles so they can easily transport themselves to different part of the city and beyond. Anywhere you are, there is a point you will see buses or keke that is loading to where you are.

People who also travel by water do use speedboats, where they will go to the ferry terminal and board a boat to their location.

Which mode of transportation system do you use more often in your community and why?

Among all these options I mentioned above, I use tricycles (keke) frequently. This is because they are more accessible and they freely run through inner streets where buses can't freely drive through. They are also faster for a shorter trip and it reduces stress of waiting for buses to have a full seat before leaving.

Also, I used my Uber most times to where I'm going if I'm not going out alone. Then if I'm going out as a family, I use our private car to where I'm going to. So my mode of transportation depends on where I'm going to or who I'm going out with.

Myself and my daughter in a car heading to our location

How affordable, safe, and convenient is the transportation system in your community?

In terms of affordability, it is highly affordable but it depends on your location. So before planning a trip, you should have enough fare to transport you there. There are time when fares do increase especially when gas price is high or there is scarcity, whatever the case, you need to have your fare available as we don't predict scarcity or gas price.

For safety, everything in life is risky so I will say many drivers are safety conscious. That doesn't mean there is no driver that drive recklessly which may makes it not too safe for commuters. Some drivers are aggressive and they lack manners of approach, some are careless while driving or neglect when their vehicle is faulty. Some drivers don't value life

Tell us the challenges that you and other commuters face with the transportation system and the improvements you would like to see.

We face a lot of challenges, ranging from traffic congestion must especially during peak hours where everywhere is busy to poor road conditions, flooded road during rain fall etc. Most times if their car is faulty, you will be affected standing by the road side.

I had 2 bad experiences with two different mode of transportation in my city that I will never forget, this happens as the result of careless drivers who do not pay attention to their vehicles or even value life.

One day I went to pick up my daughter in school, I used a tricycle (keke) that was my daughter first month in school, on our way back, their school road is a little sloppy so the keke driver had a bad brake which is not functioning. That was how we tried to control his keke on the sloppy road but the brake was bad that his keke roll to the major road and hit us on a road pavement. We sustained injuries and the accident has traumatized my daughter so much that she refuses to enter a keke.

Another one was in a minibus whose fuel tank was licking and fuel was dripping while he was driving and was even angry with passengers. Someone noticed it and alert us in the bus, immediately I stepped out, the bus started smoking about catching fire then people rushed down with fire extinguisher and water.

So with this experience of mine, I don't like using public transport when I'm going out with my daughter.

So for improvement I think our government should ensure a strict force for all keke and minibus drivers should understand go Training before using their vehicles. They should also be checked and they should always service their vehicles to avoid some necessary accident should have been avoided.

What advice would you give to a visitor who is about to use the local transportation system in your community for the first time?

I would say use Google maps and know your location first then use Uber services because those drivers are always sincere with their clients and they know how to relate with clients.

Motorcycle and a car

Then if you can't afford Uber, know your location before using any tricycle or minibuses then when you enter the vehicle tell them to stop you at your location when they get there.

They should ask questions s they won't get lost or enter a wrong vehicle.

Aside that I will advise you have enough fare to move around so you can book a Uber or bolt rider that will take you to where you want to go comfortably.

During the week I didn't actually go out to places that required I used a minibus or a tricycle or a motorcycle so that's the reason I do not have a video of them.

Thank you so much for going through my post, I really appreciate you.

I will like to invite @sualeha, @lirvic and @ninapenda to join this contest.