Terms and Conditions of Services
1. DEFINITIONS
For the purposes of these Terms and Conditions:
Company: Refers to Bell Transport Services Limited, including its employees, officers, representatives, and authorized agents.
Customer: Refers to any individual or organization purchasing or using the Company's services.
Passenger: Refers to any person travelling with a valid ticket issued by the Company.
Ticket: Refers to a booking or reservation confirmed by the Company following successful payment or other expressly approved payment arrangements.
Booking or Reservation: Refers to an arrangement made by a customer for transportation services provided by the Company.
Services: Refers to the road transportation and related services provided by Bell Transport Services Limited.
Fare: Refers to the amount payable for a particular transportation service.
Cancellation: Refers to a customer's request to withdraw from a confirmed booking before departure.
Rescheduling: Refers to changing the travel date or departure time of an existing booking.
Rerouting: Refers to changing the original departure point, destination, or route associated with an existing booking.
No-Show: Refers to a passenger who fails to report for a scheduled journey without cancelling, rescheduling, or notifying the Company within the applicable timeframe.
Working Day: Refers to a day on which commercial banks in Nigeria are ordinarily open for business.
Force Majeure: Refers to circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the Company, including severe weather, flooding, road closures, civil unrest, government directives, strikes, natural disasters, or other unforeseen events.
2. PURPOSE AND SCOPE
These Terms and Conditions govern the relationship between Bell Transport Services Limited and its customers regarding the provision of transportation services.
They apply to all bookings, reservations, ticket purchases, transportation services, cancellations, refunds, rescheduling, rerouting, and related transactions.
Unless a separate written agreement has been expressly approved by the Company, these Terms and Conditions shall apply to all customers.
By making a booking, completing payment, or using the Company's services, the customer confirms that they have read, understood, and accepted these Terms and Conditions.
Nothing in these Terms and Conditions excludes any consumer right or legal obligation that cannot lawfully be excluded under applicable Nigerian law.
3. BOOKING AND RESERVATIONS
All bookings are subject to vehicle and seat availability.
Customers must provide accurate and complete information when making reservations, including passenger names, telephone numbers, travel dates, departure locations, destinations, and the number of passengers travelling.
Customers must also disclose relevant information regarding infants or children travelling with them.
Bookings may be made in advance or on the day of departure, subject to availability.
Reservations must be made through the Company's approved booking channels, including:
• Official terminals.
• Official website.
• Official mobile application.
• Official customer service telephone numbers.
• Official WhatsApp
Bookings made through unauthorized persons or unofficial channels may not be recognized by the Company.
The Company reserves the right to verify passenger identity before boarding.
Tickets are non-transferable unless expressly approved by the Company.
4. PAYMENT AND BOOKING CONFIRMATION
Full payment is required to confirm a reservation unless the Company has expressly approved another arrangement.
An unpaid booking is not a confirmed reservation and may be cancelled or released.
Reservations placed on hold shall remain valid for a maximum of one (1) hour. If payment is not received within that period, the reservation may automatically expire or be released.
Customers are responsible for confirming that payment has been successfully processed and that their booking has been confirmed.
Where a payment transaction is pending or unsuccessful, customers should verify the transaction status before attempting another payment.
5. CHECK-IN AND BOARDING
Passengers must arrive at the departure terminal at least 30 to 45 minutes before the scheduled departure time.
Passengers must complete all required check-in and verification procedures before boarding.
Boarding may close approximately 10 minutes before departure.
Passengers arriving after boarding has closed may be denied boarding and may lose their reserved seats.
Where no alternative vehicle is available, the Company shall make reasonable efforts to assist the affected passenger, subject to availability and the applicable ticket policy.
Any entitlement to a refund or alternative transportation shall be determined in accordance with these Terms and Conditions and applicable law.
Customers are strongly advised to arrive early to avoid missing their journeys.
6. LUGGAGE ALLOWANCE
Each passenger is entitled to one medium-sized luggage and one small hand bag not more than 10kg, subject to the Company's applicable luggage requirements.
Customers must ensure that their luggage is properly secured and clearly identifiable.
The Company may refuse luggage that exceeds the vehicle's safe carrying capacity.
Excess luggage may attract additional charges, require the purchase of an additional seat where appropriate, or need to be transported separately through a suitable logistics or waybill service.
The Company prohibits the carriage of items that present a safety, security, hygiene, or regulatory risk.
Prohibited items includes:
• Perishable goods, including fish, onions, meat, and similar items.
• Fuel or petrol in containers.
• Gas cylinders.
• Generators.
• Explosives and hazardous chemicals.
• Illegal drugs.
• Prohibited weapons.
• Any other item prohibited by Nigerian law or deemed unsafe for transportation.
Customers are advised to arrange separate transportation for excess luggage and prohibited commercial cargo through an appropriate logistics provider.
7. VALUABLE AND FRAGILE ITEMS
Valuable or fragile items, including laptops, mobile phones, cameras, jewellery, cash, passports, identification documents, and electronic devices, should be carried as hand luggage.
Customers should not place valuables inside luggage stored in the vehicle's luggage compartment.
Passengers are responsible for safeguarding their personal belongings throughout the journey.
The Company may inspect luggage where reasonably necessary for safety, security, or regulatory purposes.
Liability for lost, stolen, or damaged belongings shall be determined in accordance with applicable law and the circumstances of the incident.
8. CHILD SAFETY AND COMFORT POLICY
Bell Transport Services Limited prioritizes the safety and comfort of children travelling on its services.
Children aged zero to five years may share a seat with one parent or guardian, subject to applicable safety requirements.
One adult travelling with two children within this age group must purchase an additional seat where necessary to ensure adequate seating and passenger comfort.
Children aged six years and above must occupy their own seats and hold valid tickets.
Children below the age of six must not travel unaccompanied by an adult.
The Company may require additional arrangements where necessary to ensure the safety and comfort of children.
9. FARES AND PRICE INFORMATION
The Company may review its fares in response to prevailing economic and operational conditions.
Factors affecting fares may include fuel prices, inflation, government taxes and levies, regulatory changes, vehicle maintenance, insurance, operating costs, and changes in route conditions.
New bookings made after a fare adjustment takes effect shall be charged at the prevailing fare.
Customers who have completed full payment before a fare increase shall retain the fare originally paid for that booking.
However, where a customer subsequently requests rescheduling or rerouting, the new journey shall be subject to the applicable fare and any difference payable.
The Company shall communicate relevant fare changes through its official communication channels where reasonably practicable.
10. PROMOTIONAL AND DISCOUNTED FARES
Promotional, discounted, and special fares may be subject to additional conditions.
These conditions may include restrictions on cancellation, refunds, rescheduling, rerouting, or ticket validity.
Applicable special conditions shall be communicated to customers before the booking is completed, where reasonably practicable.
Where special promotional terms conflict with the general policy, the specific promotional conditions shall apply to the extent that they are lawful and were properly disclosed to the customer.
11. TICKET VALIDITY
Unused tickets shall remain valid for 365 days from the original date of purchase.
Tickets not used within this period shall expire and shall no longer be valid for travel, rescheduling, or rerouting.
Within the validity period, customers may request to reschedule or reroute an unused ticket, subject to vehicle and seat availability and the applicable charges.
Where the new journey has a higher fare than the original booking, the customer must pay the difference before the change is confirmed.
The original ticket validity period shall continue to apply unless the Company expressly approves an extension.
Ticket validity does not guarantee the availability of a seat on any particular departure.
12. RESCHEDULING
Customers may request to change their travel date or departure time, subject to availability and the applicable charges.
The following rescheduling charges shall apply:
More than 24 hours before departure: A fee of 25% of the original ticket value.
Between 12 and 24 hours before departure: A fee of 30% of the original ticket value.
Less than 12 hours before departure: The Company may decline the request.
All rescheduling requests must be submitted through an approved Company channel.
Rescheduling is subject to vehicle and seat availability, applicable fare adjustments, and operational requirements.
The Company may restrict rescheduling during peak periods or when capacity is limited.
An approved rescheduling request does not automatically extend the original ticket validity period.
13. REROUTING
Customers may request to change their original departure point, destination, or route, subject to operational feasibility and availability.
Rerouting may attract an applicable service or administrative fee.
Where the new journey has a higher fare, the customer must pay the difference before the rerouting is confirmed.
Where the new journey has a lower fare, any adjustment shall be handled in accordance with the Company's applicable fare and refund provisions.
The Company may decline a rerouting request where the requested route cannot reasonably be accommodated.
All approved rerouted journeys remain subject to vehicle availability and the applicable ticket validity period.
14. CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY
Customers may request cancellation of a confirmed booking through the Company's approved channels.
Cancellation charges shall be determined by the time the cancellation request is received by the Company.
14.1 Cancellation at least three days before departure
A 15% administrative fee shall be deducted from the ticket value. The remaining eligible balance shall be considered for refund.
14.2 Cancellation two days before departure
A 20% administrative fee shall be deducted from the ticket value. The remaining eligible balance shall be considered for refund.
14.3 Cancellation one day before departure
A 30% administrative fee shall be deducted from the ticket value. The remaining eligible balance shall be considered for refund.
The applicable cancellation fee shall be calculated using the original ticket value, unless a different calculation basis is required by applicable law.
Customers must obtain confirmation that their cancellation request has been received.
Approved refunds shall be processed in accordance with the Company's refund procedures.
These deductions shall not apply where prohibited by applicable law or where a different remedy is required by law.
15. NO-SHOW AND FAILURE TO CANCEL
A No-Show occurs when a passenger fails to report for a scheduled journey without cancelling, rescheduling, or notifying Bell Transport Services Limited at least 24 hours before departure.
The following provisions apply:
15.1 Passenger who gives less than 24 hours' notice
Where a passenger cancels or requests cancellation less than 24 hours before departure, the Company may apply an administrative deduction of up to 50% of the ticket value where a refund is approved, subject to applicable law.
15.2 Passenger who completely fails to show up
Where a passenger neither reports for boarding nor provides the required notice, the booking shall be classified as a No-Show.
The ticket shall ordinarily be forfeited, and no refund or automatic rescheduling shall be provided, except where management approves an exception or applicable law requires otherwise.
15.3 Intermediate or in-transit pick-ups
The same No-Show provisions apply to passengers scheduled to board at designated intermediate or in-transit pick-up locations.
Passengers must notify the Company within the required timeframe if they are unable to travel.
15.4 Management discretion
The Company may consider exceptional circumstances on a case-by-case basis. Any exception must be approved by an authorized Company representative.
15.5 No automatic entitlement
A No-Show does not automatically entitle a passenger to a refund, rescheduling, or compensation.
Nothing in this section excludes any remedy that the passenger is legally entitled to receive.
16. REFUND PROCESSING
Approved refunds shall generally be processed within three to fifteen working days after the cancellation and refund request have been verified and approved.
For electronically purchased tickets, refunds shall normally be made to the original payment method or a verified bank account designated by the customer.
For bookings originally paid for in cash at a Company terminal, approved refunds may be paid in cash or through another available payment method, subject to verification and the Company's financial procedures.
The time required for funds to reflect may depend on the customer's bank or payment service provider.
Where additional verification is necessary, the Company shall communicate any material delay to the customer where reasonably practicable.
Refund processing shall comply with applicable legal requirements.
17. PAYMENT DISPUTES AND DEBITS WITHOUT VALUE
Where a customer is debited but does not receive a confirmed booking, the customer should retain the transaction details and contact the Company's official customer service channels.
This includes:
• Double debits.
• Card payments deducted without booking confirmation.
• USSD payments deducted without booking confirmation.
• Bank transfers made without a corresponding ticket.
• Other payment transactions where funds were deducted but the intended service was not received.
Customers may be asked to provide transaction references, proof of payment, booking details, and other information reasonably required to investigate the issue.
Customers may also need to contact their bank or payment provider where the issue relates to payment processing.
The Company shall investigate verified payment discrepancies and process eligible refunds in accordance with applicable procedures and legal obligations.
18. BANK TRANSFER REFUND REQUESTS
Where a customer makes a bank transfer but does not receive the corresponding booking or service, a refund request may be submitted through the Company's official customer service channels.
The customer may be required to provide:
• Full name.
• Telephone number.
• Bank account details.
• Transaction reference.
• Proof of payment.
• Date and amount of payment.
• Booking reference, where applicable.
The Company must verify receipt of the funds before approving a refund.
Eligible refunds shall generally be processed within seven to ten working days after verification and approval.
The Company may conduct additional checks where necessary to prevent fraudulent claims or incorrect payments.
19. DUPLICATE BOOKINGS
Where a customer accidentally completes multiple successful bookings for the same passenger, route, and travel date, the customer should contact the Company immediately.
The Company may investigate the duplicate transactions and, where a duplicate booking is verified, process an eligible cancellation and refund in accordance with the applicable policy.
Customers are advised to wait for payment confirmation before making another booking.
20. TERMINAL STOPS AND INTERMEDIATE PICK-UPS
The Company may pick up passengers at designated terminals or approved intermediate locations where operationally feasible and where vehicle capacity permits.
Additional stops may result in waiting time due to passenger boarding, ticket verification, luggage handling, vehicle inspections, regulatory requirements, or safety checks.
Journey times are estimates and may vary due to traffic, road conditions, weather, security checks, and other operational circumstances.
The Company shall make reasonable efforts to minimize delays while maintaining passenger safety and service standards.
21. MISSING OR FORGOTTEN ITEMS
Passengers are responsible for safeguarding their personal belongings throughout their journey.
Missing or forgotten items should be reported to the Company's customer service team as soon as possible, preferably within 12 hours of discovery.
Reports should include the passenger's name, journey details, seat number, description of the item, and the location where it was last seen.
Recovered items shall only be released after reasonable verification of ownership.
Unclaimed recovered items shall generally be retained for a maximum of 30 days, after which they may be handled in accordance with applicable law and the Company's procedures.
Perishable items may be disposed of promptly where necessary for health, hygiene, or safety reasons.
The Company's liability for missing, stolen, or damaged belongings shall be determined in accordance with applicable law and the circumstances of the incident.
22. IN-TRANSIT BREAKDOWN
The Company maintains vehicle inspection and preventive maintenance procedures to minimize the risk of mechanical breakdowns.
However, unforeseen mechanical failures may occur during a journey.
Where a breakdown occurs, the Company shall take reasonable steps to protect passengers and provide an appropriate solution, which may include:
• A replacement vehicle.
• Vehicle repairs.
• Passenger transfer to another available vehicle.
• Other reasonable operational arrangements.
The Company shall communicate relevant information and instructions to passengers as circumstances permit.
Where a breakdown causes a substantial disruption, the Company shall consider appropriate remedies in accordance with applicable law and the circumstances of the incident.
The Company shall not exclude liability that cannot lawfully be excluded, including liability arising from any proven breach of its legal obligations.
23. CANCELLATION OR MODIFICATION BY THE COMPANY
The Company may cancel, postpone, modify, or alter a scheduled journey where reasonably necessary for safety, operational, regulatory, security, or other legitimate reasons.
Where practicable, affected passengers shall be notified and offered available alternatives.
Where the Company cancels a journey and cannot provide a suitable alternative, eligible refunds or other remedies shall be provided in accordance with applicable law.
The Company shall make reasonable efforts to minimize inconvenience to affected passengers.
24. SAFETY AND SECURITY
Passengers must cooperate with lawful safety and security checks conducted by the Company, government authorities, or authorized personnel.
Passengers must comply with applicable road safety requirements, including wearing seat belts where provided.
Passengers must not carry illegal or prohibited items.
Where a passenger's deliberate refusal to comply with applicable safety requirements results in a penalty or other cost, the passenger may be responsible for that cost to the extent permitted by law.
The Company reserves the right to refuse transportation where a passenger poses a genuine safety or security risk, engages in threatening or abusive conduct, carries prohibited items, or refuses lawful safety instructions.
Any refusal to transport a passenger shall be handled in accordance with applicable law.
25. PASSENGER CONDUCT
Passengers are expected to behave respectfully toward other passengers, drivers, terminal staff, and Company representatives.
Violence, threats, harassment, deliberate damage to Company property, unlawful conduct, and serious disruption of the journey are prohibited.
The Company may take reasonable steps to protect passengers, staff, and property, including refusing transportation or reporting serious incidents to the appropriate authorities.
26. FORCE MAJEURE
The Company shall not be held responsible for delays, cancellations, interruptions, or changes directly caused by circumstances beyond its reasonable control, subject to applicable law.
Such circumstances may include severe weather, flooding, road closures, civil unrest, security incidents, government directives, strikes, natural disasters, pandemics, and other unforeseen events.
The Company shall make reasonable efforts to assist affected passengers and provide alternative arrangements where practicable.
27. PRIVACY AND CUSTOMER INFORMATION
The Company may collect and process customer information for booking management, payment processing, passenger communication, safety, security, service improvement, and compliance with legal obligations.
Customer information shall be handled in accordance with applicable Nigerian data protection laws and the Company's privacy practices.
Customers may contact the Company through its official channels regarding questions about their personal information.
28. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
The Company shall not be liable for indirect or consequential losses to the extent permitted by applicable law.
This may include losses arising from missed appointments, flights, hotel reservations, business opportunities, or other commitments affected by a journey delay.
Nothing in this section excludes or limits liability where such exclusion or limitation is prohibited by law, including liability for proven negligence or a breach of a non-excludable legal obligation.
29. CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS
Customers should submit complaints through the Company's official customer service channels as soon as reasonably practicable, preferably within seven days of the relevant journey or incident.
Complaints should include booking references, journey details, passenger information, and any supporting evidence.
The Company shall review complaints and respond within a reasonable period.
Failure to submit a complaint within seven days shall not remove any legal right that cannot lawfully be restricted by the Company.
30. AMENDMENTS TO THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS
The Company reserves the right to review and update these Terms and Conditions from time to time.
Updates may be made in response to changes in applicable laws, operating costs, business requirements, or service delivery procedures.
Updated Terms and Conditions shall be published through the Company's official website, mobile application, terminals, or other official communication channels.
Material changes shall be communicated as required by applicable law.
Changes shall not retrospectively remove rights already acquired by a customer where doing so would be unlawful.
31. SEVERABILITY
If any provision of these Terms and Conditions is found to be invalid, unlawful, or unenforceable, that provision shall be interpreted or modified to the extent necessary where legally permissible.
The remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.
32. GOVERNING LAW AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION
These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Company and the customer shall make reasonable efforts to resolve disputes amicably.
Where an amicable resolution cannot be reached, the dispute may be referred to a court or other competent dispute resolution body in accordance with applicable Nigerian law.
33. ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS
By making a booking, completing payment, receiving a ticket, or using the transportation services of Bell Transport Services Limited, the customer acknowledges that they have read, understood, and accepted these Terms and Conditions.
These Terms and Conditions apply to all customers unless a separate written agreement has been expressly approved by the Company.