I was on this forum months ago seeking for advice on the kind of vehicle to buy and start up a transport business.

I eventually bought it and the business kicked off two months ago.
Before I share my pain and gain in the business, I'd like to drop some key things to know before venturing into transport business.

1. Know the route you want to ply and the kind of vehicle that ply such route.
For example, most buses plying Port Harcourt to Bayelsa are Mazda.
And most cars plying Mbiama to Ugehelli are siennas.

2. Never ever buy a Nigerian used car to start the business no matter how neat or cheap it is.

3. If u are new in the business, my best advice is that you drive the car by yourself. Don't give it to anyone no matter your relationship with him.

I learnt this the hard way.

AbelAbdul:
3. If u are new in the business, my best advice is that you drive the car by yourself. Don't if it to anyone no matter your relationship with him.

I learnt this the hard way.

I was planning the giving my vehicle to someone else to drive, since I work full time and have no intention of quiting my job anytime soon.

4. Go to the loading point in which you want to load and making enquiries to know their procedure.

some loading point or motor park require you register with them while some don't.

herakles:



I was planning the giving my vehicle to someone else to drive, since I work full time and have no intention of quiting my job anytime soon.

I will share my experience on giving someone to drive.

AbelAbdul:

I will share my experience on giving someone to drive.

ok. what type of vehicle are you using?

5. If you don't want to be spending money on police every time, make sure your license and vehicle particulars are updated.

herakles:


ok. what type of vehicle are you using?

I ply Port Harcourt to Bayelsa. with Mitsubishi L300

6. To avoid embarrassment and unnecessary spending to task force, there are unions u have to join, there are tickets u have to buy, there are stickers u have to buy and your vehicle has to be registered with at least a union.

for example, if u intend entering Bayelsa with your vehicle, you have to buy their sticker. Their sticker is 15k.

The only time you can enter Bayelsa without sticker is on Sundays.

AbelAbdul:


I ply Port Harcourt to Bayelsa. with Mitsubishi L300

ok. I am Lagos based. I use a sedan

7. The first two weeks u kick off the business, don't drive. look for a driver who has ply the route. let him drive while u sit beside him and learn.


Every route has its own rules. for example, if u intend plying Port Harcourt to Bayelsa, there are places you don't stop to either carry passengers or drop passengers.

If you do and those agbero catch you, is either the bust your tyre or you pay heavily.

The driver will teach you the job.

8. Just be prepared to spend money on agbero. Once those agberos see your face is new in the area, they will chop u anyhow. But don't fear or feel discouraged. once u start making friends with them, they will come a time u will even drop or carry passengers where u are not supposed to and they agbero won't do u anything.

sometimes u will not even buy their daily tickets and they won't do u shit

9. In order for the job to be less stressful for you, you will need a conductor or motor boy (if ur vehicle is a bus and also depending on the route you want to ply)

Be careful! most conductors steal money.

I learnt this the hard way.

10. if u don't want to dash road safety ur money, make sure u don't put load on top of your vehicle.

My experience in transport business

Transport business is what I will like to describe as The Beautiful Disease .

Sometimes it's rossy sometimes it's the opposite.

My initial plan was to buy a mini van and go into interstate transport. I came to this forum and was advised to get a Sienna. While trying to buy a car, I fell into wrong hands both online and offline.

finally someone tricked me into buying a 18 seated Nigerian used bus and running town service. I gave in and bought Mitsubishi L300 long frame.

I gave it to someone to drive and pay me 5k daily. Before I bought the bus, the bus was plying PH to Owerri.

This driver showed me pepper. if police doesn't hold him, he got accident. if it's not accident, task force hold him.
The boy is always giving me excuses. he managed to deliver two days after one week I retrieved the bus from him and gave it to another person.

Giving the second person was like moving from frying pan to fire.

One elderly man advised me to drive it by myself.

I collected the bus then thought of the route to ply. I registered the bus and start driving town service. The way most town service drivers behaved (hurrying to carry passengers) they either crash u or u crash them or they make u hit another car. The way they match break at speed lane and turning without indicating makes me find town service driving hard.

so I decided to try highway drive. I picked a route "PH to BY".

I went to Rumokoro park to make enquiry on loading. Getting there I saw 3 loading points. one was inside the park while the other two were outside.

I went inside and I was told that I will register with them with 25k then pay N1400 per loading and N300 daily ticket.

I moved to the next point outside the park I was told I will register with 15k, pay 1500 per loading .

I moved to the last point and was told that I don't need to register. I will only pay 1k commission money per loading.


I noticed that buses loading at the last loading point get full faster than point 1 which is inside the park and point two.

I found out that the reason is because the last point charges lesser than the rest.

Point 1 charges 700 from PH to BY.
Point 2 charges 600 from PH to BY.
Point 3 charges 500 from PH to BY.

Nigerians like awoof so they will rather go to point 3 to enter bus.

Before 2 buses from point 1 get full, about 5 buses at point 3 are full.

I decided that I will be loading from point 3. Not because that I don't have to register but because buses there get full faster.

I started driving.


My first challenge was the bus. it got spoilt almost everyday. I keep visiting mechanic workshop. sometimes it spoilt at the highway. I had to put my passengers in another bus then go get a mechanic.


Second challenge was police. police check points is more than 15 and more than 20 during market days. each checking point we drivers give 100. When u give 100 at a check point, the give u number. when next u pass that check point u don't give money again. u will tell them ur number. but if u forget ur number u pay again.

As a newbies I keep forgetting numbers and keep paying double or triple. most times I go home with noting. It looks as if u was working for the police.

The third challenge was agbero and taskforce .
I match break where am not supposed to, I dropped passengers where am not supposed to and these people keep milking me dry.

there are places the hold u and u spend up to 30k.
two days ago I was held by Obiapko taskforce and I spent 35k.

I realised it's better for police to hold u than taskforce.

The fourth challenge was conductor. All the conductors have carried stole my money. I keep changing conductor.

I realised it's better u have someone drive ur car while u be the conductor.

The fifth challenge is Robbers and Kidnappers. Those who ply that East West rd often can testify to this. The rob almost every week.

Continue

Sixth challenge is stress.
I never knew driving work was as stressful as this. most of the times we sleep in our cars. I do go a full week without reaching my house.
my toothpaste, toothbrush, cream, few clothes, tissues paper are always in my bus. since I started driving I've not cooked at home. always eating outside.

I picked two days off. yesterday and today that's why u see me online. am always on the road.

The seventh challenge was how to deal with passengers.
some passengers can be naughty some aggressive. They will want u to drop them where u are not supposed to. And when u heed to them taskforce hold u and u pay and if u don't heed to them, the curse u some don't pay u.

Also, some passengers enter motors with contrabands causing delay on the rd. There are check points police Will stop u and search ur motor and if any contraband is found, either u settle there with them or they carry ur car to station.

I once carried a passenger who carried human skull. luckily for us, he was arrested and me and other passengers were allowed to go.

AbelAbdul:
Sixth challenge is stress.
I never knew driving work was as stressful as this. most of the times we sleep in our cars. I do go a full week without reaching my house.
my toothpaste, toothbrush, cream, few clothes, tissues paper are always in my bus. since I started driving I've not cooked at home. always eating outside.

I picked two days off. yesterday and today that's why u see me online. am always on the road.

Wow. God bless ur legitimate hustle

Gradually, I've learnt how to beat police checking points , learnt how to dodged agbero and taskforce and learnt some techniques robbers and kidnapers use in getting their victims.

some robbers joined a vehicle pretend to be a passenger. some stand on the rd block rd as police check point. some wear police uniform.

This raining season accident is on the rise. the rd especially East West rd is slippery due to oil bunkery.

last week my fellow drive got an accident and his leg was cut off.
on Monday my break failed I was lucky i wasnt on high speed. A truck from behind came to carry me, I turned the steering headed to the bush. entered the bush. the only thing that got damage was my side mirror. nobody injured

Thank you for educating people like me I was also thinking in the same direction

TheRealOwner:

Wow. God bless ur legitimate hustle

I had an opportunity to dirty my hands but I chose to keep it clean.

Legit business brings peace of mind.

An old man once told me, 'IF IT TAKES AWAY YOUR PEACE, THEN IT'S QUITE EXPENSIVE

AbelAbdul:


I had an opportunity to dirty my hands but I chose to keep it clean.

Legit business brings peace of mind.

An old man once told me, 'IF IT TAKES AWAY YOUR PEACE, THEN IT'S QUITE EXPENSIVE

My guy...