Road 7 Commuters Lament Long Queues, Demand Improved Transport System
Commuters plying Road 7, the second major entrance into Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), have expressed frustration over persistent long queues and transport delays that continue to affect students and staff who rely on the route.
Unfortunately, while movement along Road 1 remains relatively smooth, Road 7 users say the poor transportation system on the road is now impacting their productivity and daily schedules.
John, a recent graduate who resides in the Road 7 area, told ICONS Correspondence that the increasing population of students living at Road 7 has intensified pressure on the limited number of shuttles available. “We were not this much at the shuttle stop when I was still an undergraduate, many people now live in the Road 7 area now, hence, this should be addressed as soon as possible.”
“I am a newly employed staff here, and I must say I’m not pleased with my experience using this route,” Dr. Sule Alfred said. “I worry about how students queue for long minutes while there are more than enough buses on Road 1. I don’t understand why the same system isn’t replicated here.”
The new staff added that the delays often disrupt his plans. “Yesterday, I was exhausted. I expected to get home early to rest, but the queue was so long it took me over an hour to get home.”
Rasak, a student of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, shared a similar experience, recalling how he almost missed a morning lecture.
“I was on the queue for over thirty minutes,” he said. “At some point, I had to join students begging for free rides from lecturers passing through the staff quarters, so as to make it to my class.”
Commuters Suggest Solutions
Beyond narrating their experiences, commuters proposed measures to ease transportation difficulties.
John suggested the introduction of larger buses. “The closing time of the shuttles is not helping. Many students remain on campus beyond 7 p.m. for numerous academics and non-academic reasons. Moreso, the shuttles only carry four people per trip, the management should consider buses that can carry more passengers.”
A staff member, Mr. Oluwadamilare, also recommended buses that can take ten or more passengers at once to reduce constant queuing.
Shuttle Drivers React
In response to the complaints, shuttle drivers also shared their own challenges, explaining that the delays are caused by factors they cannot control.
The shuttle drivers, at first pushed back on claims of insufficient vehicles.
“There’s nothing like an insufficient shuttle,” one driver said, explaining that 28 operational shuttles currently work on Road 7.
Rather, the drivers blamed rush-hour traffic and the strict 7 p.m. closing time for the long queues.
“The time is the issue,” another driver noted. “Management instructs us to stop working by 7 p.m., while most lectures end by 6 p.m. That one-hour rush causes congestion.”
The drivers also called on the Students’ Union to advocate for an extension of operating hours.
TMC Responds
In an interview with the Chairman of the Great Ife Transport Management Committee (TMC), Fatoyinbo Azeez, he noted that the working hours cannot be extended due to security concerns.
“The 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. timetable was set to curb robbery incidents within the staff quarters,” he explained. Speaking further, he assured that plans are underway to make transportation more bearable for Road 7 commuters.
For now, both commuters and drivers remain hopeful that the university will address the worsening transportation situation. Until then, long queues, delays, and evening rush-hour struggles continue to define daily movement along Road 7.
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