For Lagos to decongest traffic on its road, the need for the state to employ technology has been stressed. According to the General Manager, Sub Saharan Africa of ride hailing app, Uber, Alon Lits, who gave this advice, technology, remains the easiest way to decongest the Lagos traffic congestion and make the city smart.
Lits said Uber has applied the philosophy of ride-sharing in cities across the world effectively, to reduce congestion and environmental impact in the process.
According to him, “We have experienced the benefits that technology can bring to public transport. With GPS systems and constant communication, technology can make it safer for both the driver and the passenger. Every aspect of every trip becomes transparent – this provides the data to make transport more efficient and enables drivers to grow their own businesses. Passengers can rely on getting to their destination on time and paying a set and transparent fee.”
Lits noted that although Uber has not yet rolled out its uberPOOL solution in Lagos, it could become an attractive solution for Lagos commuters, as it is in over 29 other cities across the globe, including emerging economies such as Jakarta, Indonesia and Mumbai, India.
He said routes such as Ikeja to Ikoyi, Ikoyi to Ajah, and Victoria Island to Ajah are popular, and could potentially benefit from a ridesharing solution like uberPOOL, for efficiency.
“uberPOOL is simple; riders going in the same direction are matched with one another to share a ride, giving them the convenience and quality of Uber at a reduced price that fits the everyday commuter. Unlike buses, an uberPOOL vehicle gets the rider all the way to their destination. Because sharing isn’t the issue: its price and convenience that matter most to people,” he added.
Contrary to the belief that the traffic gridlock is caused by too many cars on the road, Lits said: “cars are not the problem; it is how we use them that is problematic. Many vehicles on the road only have one passenger; through technology we can change every ride into a shared ride.
