A day with female tricyclist turned bus driver

Mrs Mary Lucky is a Vanette bus driver on Benin Road. She plies Agbor, Ramat and Ring Road routes. She was a commercial tricycle driver for four years before becoming a bus driver. In this interview, she tells Daily Trust Saturday how her desire to support her husband in the home front pushed her into driving Keke, and now a bus. She also tells how she is coping on the road, among other sundry issues.

How did you start commercial bus driving?

As you know, they call me ‘the first lady of Keke Napep drivers’. After driving Keke for some years, I decided to go higher, to do something different and earn more. So, I joined bus driving and started learning how to cope with other road users.

How did you learn to drive?

I knew how to drive cars long before I learned Keke driving. Then, I learnt it for the fun of it, until I now decided to do it for business.

How did you learn Keke driving?

I was unemployed, and someone sold the idea of Keke driving to me and I bought the idea. The same person also taught me how to ride and after learning, I decided to go into full Keke driving because I don’t want to beg anybody for assistance or wait for someone to give me money. So, even if it is N10 I get in a day, it would be better for me rather than begging for assistance.

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How did you get Keke to drive and for how long?

I drove keke for four years and I have been driving this mini bus since 2021. The first Keke I drove was balance and carry (instalments), and I drove three tricycles before I decided to go for a bus. My first Keke was given to me by a military man and I balanced him N1 million before it became mine. The second one I carried was N1.2m but the last one I could not complete before the owner took it back from me. The military man saw me driving a Keke one day, and he asked me if the keke was mine, I said no and he then asked if I can take one on balance and carry and I said yes. That was how he bought one for me, balanced it and it became my own. Before completing the payment, it was already old and I was going to the mechanic almost on a daily basis, so I sold it.

What lesson did you learn from Keke driving?

It taught me not to depend on anybody and that I can earn a living without begging and also get what I want little by little.

How was your relationship with the male Keke drivers?

You know you can’t predict human beings sometimes. The men provoked me to leave Keke driving. During the union’s election, I was elected treasurer but they began to oppress me because I am a woman and eventually took the position from me, saying how can a woman be a treasurer to men? But the chairman later promised to give it back to me but he never did, so in order not to hold any animosity or malice with anybody, I decided to quit because staying with them would keep reminding me of the injustice.

How long have you been a commercial bus driver?

I have been driving a commercial bus for over a year now, I started in December 2021.

How did it start?

I did not have a bus when I started, I would go to some parks and look for a free bus and drive for that day and balance the owner. I would go to Olukun area, along Benin-Lagos Road and get one on daily balancing (daily payment), it is like renting the bus for a day. I will get the bus from the owner on a fixed amount to be paid for that day, I will take the bus to any route of my choice and in the evening, I will take it to the owner and pay our agreed money. I don’t deposit anything before collecting the bus, they only give it to me on trust and I return it back to the owner on trust. That was how I was driving until the man who bought the last Keke for me saw me driving and asked me to go and price one so that he could get one for me. That was how I got this one I am driving now.

How much were you asked to pay during your days of daily payment?

It depends on the owner of the vehicle, some would ask me to pay N5,000, N6,000 while others would say N7,000 a day, it has no fixed price.

Have you faced harassment from your male counterparts as a bus driver?

The only problem I have on the road is with officials of the Public Work Volunteer (PUWOV) but Edo State Traffic Management Agency (EDSTMA), FRSC and police are nice and friendly. The PUWOV were always on my neck. Initially, they were not arresting me but all of a sudden, they said I don’t settle them and I don’t give them my vehicle to do patrol. They’ve arrested me about five times and on each occasion, I had to bail my vehicle. The first time I paid N21,000, the second time N11,000 and the third time N21,000 just like that. When it was becoming too much.  I started giving them my vehicle and if they spoiled any part of the vehicle, they will not repair it for the driver and they are not paying for taking the bus. The only benefit is that they will not arrest you wherever you park on the road whether it is an approved or unapproved parking place.

What has been your experience driving on the road with men?

You have to be strong to be able to drive on Nigerian roads with men, they will not only oppress you, they will beat you on the road. Like me, I am always ready if it comes to fight and if it comes to peace too, I am also ready, but the only thing I know is that no permanent friend and no permanent enemy on the road because the person you have problem with today may be your helper tomorrow when your vehicle develops problem on the road.

Have you experienced vehicle breakdown on the road and how did you survive it?

My first experience was at Ewa Road Junction on the Murtala Muhammed Way around 7pm and I suffered till around 9pm before a driver came to my rescue despite the insult heaped on him by his passengers. He helped me tow the vehicle to a place where I now called my husband to help me. But now, I am used to it. Even if it happens, I don’t call my husband again; I manage on my own by pushing it to the house or to a mechanic workshop for repairs.

How would you rate Keke and bus driving in monetary terms?

If this bus is mine, I won’t have any problem but because of balancing, your mind would not be at peace. For weeks now, I have been going to mechanic workshops and I haven’t been able to balance (pay the owner) since then. I don’t know what the owner would do but I hope to make up for this week by paying for the past weeks. But if it was my own, I would have peace, I can work and rest for a while but once you are on daily balancing, your mind won’t be at peace till you get the owner’s money.

What is your dream as a driver?

My dream is to have my own buses so that people would also be driving for me.

How is your husband taking this?

My husband is very supportive and wonderful when it comes to my job. I told you earlier that he always comes to my rescue when my vehicle develops faults on the road.

How has the job been helpful in the home front?

It helps a lot because I can do something for the house on my own. Daddy might decide to say, for instance, take this N3000 and you know if you enter the market, it would not be enough but I would collect the money and say ‘thank you’ because I can augment and get what I want for the house. Also, there are things I know I need in the house and I don’t bother my husband because I am already empowered. I can’t stay idle.

What is your advice to other women?

Women should not just sit at home waiting for the men to do everything, they are looking for trouble because if a man is doing everything without a woman’s support, there would be problems. If the woman is contributing a little to the home front, the man would value the woman. I am not saying it is bad for women to stay at home and take care of the family but it is also good to assist the men so that they will not die young. And so, they would not go outside to seek for assistance and become indebted. So, it is good to work.

Are you going to contest the drivers’ union position in the future?

I didn’t join any of the drivers’ unions because of my experience with the Keke Napep union, I don’t want anybody to provoke me again on the road. I want to have my peace at work, I don’t really need a position, the only thing I need is a vehicle to work.