Drivers
and conductors of commercial buses in Lagos will be required to wear
uniforms from January 2014, the state Commissioner for Transportation,
Kayode Opeifa, said on Monday. The City Voice newspaper reports that Mr. Opeifa made the
announcement at a news conference to launch the annual conference of the National Council on Transportation hosted by the state. He said the decision will
enable proper identification of commercial transporters and to also curb
the culture of “shabby dressing” among them.
The
commissioner also said the decision is the enforcement of the section of
the state Traffic Law which dictates that commercial drivers and their conductors must wear registered uniforms and
badges. “Commercial drivers and their conductors would also begin to
appear in registered uniform and badges for proper identification by the
public. The
situation where the drivers and their conductors dress shabbily would be
checked with the introduction uniform and badges for them,” he said.
He
said the state will also commence the registration of drivers to ensure
the enforcement of Section 44 of the Traffic Law that dictates that drivers should not drive beyond eight hours in a stretch. He
said drivers will be registered for easy monitoring of the eight hours
rule.
rule.
The
decision will aide better security and will help put an end to kidnapping
and robbery in commercial buses. “With these moves, we want to curtail
kidnapping, robberies and other forms of crimes perpetrated by the
continuous usage of unregistered vehicles for commercial purposes. We are out to tackle the issue of ‘one
chance’ headlong,” he said.
Also,
owners of commercial buses will be required to get insurance cover for
commuters. Mr. Opeifa said defaulters will not be spared. “With the development, no driver would be allowed to drive beyond 8 hours
at a stretch, while owners of the commercial vehicles would be made to get
insurance that will cover their passengers.”
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