Yuletide: Chisco deploys new luxury, mini buses, top quality services

…hails Tinubu for 50% fare rebate

Nigeria’s Transport Company of the Year, Chisco Transport Ltd, has deployed in various routes nationwide its newly procured new luxury and mini buses with the latest innovative features in the industry.

It assured the travelling public of safe and top quality services on all its routes this Christmas/New Year season, and beyond.

It stated this in a statement released on Tuesday, adding that the company, which had been one of the country’s front runners in long distance passenger transportation and logistics for over 45 years, recently inaugurated about four new branches in order to bring its services closer to its teeming customers.

It listed some of the new branches that had helped to boost service delivery this Yuletide season as in Awka, Enugu, and on Okota Road (near Cele Bus Stop on Oshodi-Apapa expressway), Lagos.

It stated, “This is in addition to embarking on a comprehensive maintenance of the existing fleet of buses in order to ensure they are in roadworthy shape for trips across Nigeria and the Lagos-Cotonou-Lome-Accra international route.

“Apart from advanced safety features like real-time GPS tracking and efficient safety systems, the new-look Chisco Transport fleet, featuring state-of-the-art buses, has all it takes to guarantee that passengers travel in style with their comfort and safety prioritised this season.”

It stated that the updated fleet had enhanced the popular Chisco 24 to 48-hour nationwide mail and parcel services.

All these, the leading transport solutions and logistics provider said, are part of deliberate efforts to ensure seamless and comfortable bus and logistic services to the customers during the 2024 Yuletide season and thereafter.

Chisco’s Head of Business Operations, Mr Buchi Ochuba, in the statement explained that the same commitment to ensuring safe and comfortable trips out of major cities and towns before Christmas, would also be deployed to return journeys in the new year.

He said that the management was aware that the huge investments the company had been making towards upscaling its services recently earned it the Transport Company of the Year at the recent Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) Awards in Lagos.

Ochuba reiterated Chisco Transport’s resolve to sustain the high standards that earned the company an enviable reputation, as well as continue investments in safety and comfort of travellers that have earned it the confidence of the travelling public and the auto journalists’ award.

“We appreciate the fact that in adjudging Chisco Transport the Transport Company of the Year, NAJA must have taken into consideration the high standards of our services, the over 50 new air-conditioned buses we procured recently, the new branches we inaugurated, our customer reward scheme and other investments we made to enhance passenger transportation and logistics,” Ochuba stated.

According to him, everything is in place to make certain that the teeming Chisco Transport customers all over Nigeria and on the international route enjoy top quality services, adding “We wish them a wonderful Christmas and a highly prosperous 2025.”

Chisco Transport also applauded President Bola Tinubu for the gesture of subsidising inter-state luxury bus transport fares by 50 percent this Christmas season.

Drawing attention to the importance of infrastructure to the road transportation business, the statement further commended the President for the appreciable allocations for the sector in the 2025 budget.

“We, therefore, wish to urge members of his cabinet to put in more deliberate efforts to help the President attain his vision with speedy and prudent execution inspired by patriotism.”

On the current sharp increase in fares across the routes, the award-winning transport company blamed the situation on rising costs of maintaining the buses, as well as on the high pump prices of diesel and petrol.

The Head of Operations, however, added that at the peak of every Christmas season, long distance buses are almost empty during return trips, which leads to a situation whereby the fares for the first journeys are raised to cushion the losses incurred during reverse trips.

Coscharis Motors clinches Nigeria’s Multi-Luxury Company Award as Range Rover Autobiography emerges Luxury SUV

It is a double honour for Coscharis Motors Plc, one of the subsidiaries of the respected conglomerate, Coscharis Group, as it was declared Multi-Luxury Company of the Year and one of its iconic luxury brands, Range Rover Autobiography, was adjudged the Nigeria’s Luxury SUV of the Year at the 2024 edition of the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association Awards.

The well attended event was held recently at the prestigious Oriental Hotels, Lagos.

Coscharis Motors, a household name in topnotch globally respected luxury automobile brands in Nigeria, has been the exclusive representative of the British iconic luxury brand of the Jaguar Land Rover and the German pride in the luxury segment of the BMW brand over many decades.

The company in 2023 added another new luxury brand from United Kingdom into the Nigeria market which is the Grenadier from the Ineos group in UK. The Grenadier is a brand new product globally which is equally being represented in Nigeria by Coscharis Motors as a new addition to its existing ‘House of luxury’ when it comes to automobile of repute.

The luxury SUV category was keenly contested with other tested luxury brands but the Range Rover Autobiography came tops, according to the organizers, after strong consideration of the market acceptance of the Autobiography in all ramifications.

The All New Range Rover Autobiography variant is revolutionary, reliable and a class on its own with its special appeal, style that resonates with its priority audience when it comes to luxury, class, comfort and performance.

Receiving the award on behalf of Coscharis Motors, the General Manager, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Coscharis Group, Mr. Abiona Babarinde, dedicated the award to all the Coscharis Motors customers, especially the luxury brand enthusiasts for their acceptability of all the luxury brands in the Portfolio namely the Jaguar Land Rover, BMW and the new Grenadier respectively as their preferred luxury automobile of choice.

He said, “These awards only reconfirm our expertise in delivering top notch luxury experience to our premium customers while maintaining the global standard of brand positioning to discerning customers in the ever dynamic Nigerian market.

“Representing these globally respected iconic brands over the years exclusively in Nigeria involves consistent delivering of value for money that involves the total luxury experience from the point of brand awareness to the purchase stage and the aftersales service experience to deliver the peace of mind required.”

Group Managing Director of Coscharis Motors Plc, Mr. Josiah Samuel, also dedicated the awards to the company’s ever loyal customers for their patronage and acceptance of the brands with a promise to continually create more value in the automobile industry in Nigeria.

He said, “There can’t be another best way to end the business year in 2024 than with these set of prestigious awards despite all the business challenges in the year and more importantly that the awards are coming from a very critical stakeholder / partner like the media.”

The award event attracted various stakeholders that are players in the automotive sector in Nigeria.

Leadership by example: FRSC Corps Marshal leads field operations, patrol highways 

By Bisi Kazeem

As the year winds down and Nigerians embark on end-of-year travels, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has intensified its efforts to curb road crashes and ensure safer highways. Leading this charge is the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, who has set a sterling example of sacrificial leadership by actively participating in frontline operations during this critical period.

The end of the year is a notoriously perilous time on Nigeria’s roads, marked by increased traffic, heightened road traffic crash risks, and a surge in reckless driving.

However, under the proactive leadership of the Corps Marshal, the FRSC rolled out an unprecedented campaign to reduce road traffic crashes and fatalities, ensuring that the festive season is marked by joy rather than tragedy.

True leadership is not defined by words but by action. The Corps Marshal exemplifies this by personally leading field operations, patrolling highways, monitoring traffic flows, and directly engaging with road users.

His visible presence has reinvigorated the morale of FRSC officers and demonstrated to the nation that leadership is about service and sacrifice.

He defied insecurity on the highways and embarked on a traffic monitoring operation from Abuja, the Federal Capital, through Kogi, Ekiti, Ondo, Owo, Ore, down to Edo and Delta.

His decision to lead from the front underscores his commitment to the FRSC’s mission of saving lives and highlights the urgent need for compliance with traffic rules and regulations.

From the beginning of the Ember Months sensitisation campaign in September, the Corps had gone ahead of time, implementing series of robust measures aimed at addressing road safety challenges during the festive season. These remedies include; increased patrols and checkpoints as additional officers and vehicles have been deployed in strategic points on highways to monitor and enforce compliance with traffic laws; organised nationwide safety campaigns targeting speed violations, drunk driving, overloading and seatbelt use.

These campaigns educate drivers on the dangers of reckless behaviours and emphasize the importance of safe driving practices.

The Corps also ensured Emergency Response Preparedness: ambulances, tow trucks, and rescue teams are on standby to ensure rapid responses to emergencies, reducing fatalities and injuries in the event of crashes.

Knowing that the task of making the highways safe is a collective action, FRSC went into the season with strengthened partnerships with key stakeholders, including the Nigeria Police Force, transport unions, traditional rulers and local communities, to foster a united front in the battle against road crashes.

The Corps Marshal’s leadership has inspired not just his officers but also the general public.

His direct involvement sends a clear message that road safety is a shared responsibility requiring the commitment of all stakeholders.

The Corps Marshal’s hands-on approach during this critical period has not only motivated the FRSC team but has also restored public confidence in the agency’s commitment to saving lives,” said a motorist who witnessed the Marshal’s activities firsthand on the Niger Bridge.

The monitoring activities carried out across major corridors suggest that the intensified efforts are yielding positive results, with a noticeable reduction in road crashes and fatalities compared to previous years.

The Corps Marshal’s example of sacrificial leadership has brought renewed vigor to the FRSC’s operations, ensuring that every life is valued and protected.

Needless to state that the FRSC Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, is indeed an enigma, a force to be reckoned with and a true example of practical leadership in public service as he leads yet again by example in the fight against road crashes in Nigeria.

Taking active front-line roles, dedicating to sacrificial leadership and willingness to take bold steps to address the challenges facing Nigerian roads.

By setting the pace, he’s inspiring his team and other stakeholders to join forces in the quest for safer roads in Nigeria.

As the festive season continues, let us all join the FRSC as they call on all Nigerians to support its efforts by adhering to traffic rules, avoiding risky driving behaviours, and prioritizing safety on the roads.

Together, with the leadership of the Corps Marshal and the dedication of FRSC personnel, a safer, accident-free festive season is achievable.

The Corps Marshal’s leadership reminds us all that effective leadership requires sacrifice, action, and a deep commitment to service.

As Nigerians embark on their journeys this season, they can take comfort in knowing that the FRSC is working tirelessly to make the roads safer for everyone.

*DCM Bisi Kazeem (Rtd), fsi MNIM anipr, a public relations expert and media guru writes from Lagos, Nigeria.