The Electric luxurious shuttle buses for conveying travellers from landside to airside
*** All the airports nationwide are soon to be served with electric vehicles for shuttle service
*** A total of 100 vehicles to ultimately serve the shuttle needs of air travellers
*** Adoption of the electric vehicles as airport shuttles is “a monumental step towards greening our operations and reducing our carbon footprint”, says Olubunmi Kuku, Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, says air travellers will begin to enjoy a classy ride in an electric bus-shuttle from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, NAIA, to the city centre for a subsidised fare of Ten Thousand Naira only (N10,000.00k).
Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, Chairman of the board of FAAN, while launching 30 state-of-the-art luxurious electric shuttle buses and exotic cars, said the environmentally friendly electric vehicles will offer critical support in commuting between the landside and airside of the terminal, thus providing travellers with a wonderful experience.
The FAAN board chairman explained the huge investment in the electric shuttle vehicles was highly beneficial because electric vehicles offer clear operational and environmental advantages as they are cleaner, quieter and more energy efficient.
Ganduje explained further that the rationale can also be seen in the significantly reduction of carbon emissions thus helping FAAN to minimize its ecological footprint.
He further explained that the adoption of electric vehicle as shuttle bus will be extended to all airports nationwide after the pilot at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport Abuja and the Murtala Muhammed Internaonal Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
Abdullahi Ganduje further gave the rationale for EVs as shuttle buses in all airports that their use will contribute to healthier airport environments and a more comfortable work and travel experience.
The chairman chronicled other benefits that warranted total support by the board of FAAN thus, “From a logistics standpoint, electric vehicles also enhance monitoring, coordination and compliance”.
He further argued in favour of the electric vehicle thus “their predictable performance and lower maintenance demands improve operational planning, accountability and service reliability. Ultimately, this translates into more efficient, transparent and passenger-friendly services”.
The Managing Director of FAAN, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, in her speech disclosed that her management succeeded in getting approval for the purchase of 100 electric vehicles to operate as airport shuttles at Lagos and Abuja airports.
She described the approval to adopt electric vehicles for airport shuttle as “a monumental step towards greening our operations and reducing our carbon footprint”.
Kuku declared without equivocation that electric buses and cars will soon be a feature of passenger commuting between the landside and airside at all airports nationwide.
Initially, the service will operate between 7 am and 7 pm daily.
SHUTTLE FARE
The partner to FAAN in the electric vehicle shuttle operations in airports it manage, Possible EVS, has disclosed that the fare will be heavily subsidised.
The head of Fleet Operations at Possible EVS, Abimbola Gyer, said the fleet operator will be moving passengers from the airport, NAIA Abuja, to the city centre at the heavily subsidised rate of N10,000.00K only.
Gyer added that operations usually will commence from 7 am to 7 pm daily.
She noted that the fleet operator, Possible EVS, is already in partnership with NEV Electric, the manufacturer of the electric buses, with the view to secure rebate that will further impact the shuttle fare.
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This is a good idea. The routes of the buses must be well planned. Passengers should be allowed to alight not only at fixed bus stops but also enroute on request. Operation should be in day light, to start with.