Introduction
Following rising road traffic crashes involving haulage vehicles which has caused the nation valuable lives and property and the continuous congestion of the Lagos Port roads which if not checked on time could lead to a national calamity in case of any major mishap. It was therefore expedient that the FRSC meet with stakeholders with the sole aim of finding solutions to all issues that may be contributive to the occurrence thereby engendering safer roads for positive national growth.
Objectives
2. The objectives of the summit are as follows:
a. To ensure sustained safe mode of petroleum products haulage.
b. To establish the best way to check and enforce the minimum standards in tankers and trailers operation.
c. To work with DPR, NPA, cement and flour mill companies and other major fleet operators as well as tank farms to ensure insistence on tankers and trailers meeting minimum safety standards and sanctions for default.
d. To ensure compliance with permissible axle load by stakeholders
e. Implementation of safe to load initiative ( a standard to be agreed on and enforced)
f. Implementation of fixing of the retro-reflective tapes on trucks to enhance visibility
g. Possibility of renewal of petroleum tankers, through Fleet Acquisition Renewal Scheme with collaboration with financial institutions i.e Bank of Industry, Infrastructure Bank.
Observations
3. In the course of the summit stakeholders observed and attempted to find answers to the following issues raised:
a. High rate of tankers and trailers’ crashes in the nation is worrisome and should be checked
b. More attention is required to be focused on vehicles technical wellness/characteristics by fleet operators.
c. Loading authorization and permit – Safe-to load policy adherence are required to be implemented.
d. Training / retraining of tankers and trailers drivers need to be intensified and sustained
e. Appropriate licensing of drivers and medical fitness.
f. Best time for tankers and trailers movement has become a necessity given the high density of vehicles on Nigerian roads
g. Road network density and length visa-as-visa: fatigue and rest periods / place.
h. There is need to decentralize the concentration of Tank Farms within the same location and accessibility as well as close down the illegal ones.
i. Indiscriminate parking of vehicles along the highways (road shoulders) needs to be checked.
j. All deviants drivers should face the wrath of the law when apprehended,
k. There is need to tighten access to professional haulage road drivers’ license
l. There is the urgent need for renewal of petroleum tankers, through Fleet Acquisition Renewal Scheme with collaboration with financial institutions i.e Bank of Industry
m. Urgent need for Life Insurance for all Nigerians for ease of compensation in case of loss of lives
n. Need for comprehensive welfare package for haulage drivers by their employers in other to motivate them
o. Modernization of law enforcement (Personnel and equipment) – train and re-train
p. Need for modern vehicle testing to be introduced in all states of the federation
q. Conflicts between law enforcement agents and drivers
r. En-route issues such as bad roads, illegal location of markets and other road encroachments
s. Need to repair broken down petroleum pipelines to ensure decentralization of supplies
t. Need for life Insurance for all Nigerians to ease payment of compensation to all victims of mishaps
u. Need to establish age limits for trucks to be used for haulage purposes
v. None available specialized driving schools for truck drivers.
PLAN OF ACTION
4. After exhaustive deliberations on all observations, the followings were resolved as the way forward under four classifications viz; standards, enforcement, Institutional capacity and legal.
a. Standards
i. More attention is required to be focused on vehicles’ technical wellness/characteristics by haulage operators to ensure reduction in crashes arising from mechanical deficiency.
ii. Need for modern vehicle testing to be introduced in all States of the Federation to ensure sustained vehicle technical wellness
iii. Need to establish age limit for trucks to be used for haulage purposes.
iv. Need for comprehensive welfare package for haulage drivers by their employers in other to motivate them.
v. Implementation of standardized speed limiters installation in all newly manufactured vehicles in Nigeria
b. Enforcement
i. Establishment of safety standards for haulage operators through enforcement of safe-to-load program
ii. Considering Nigeria road network density and length vis-a-vis, compulsory rest and rest period of 30minutes to be observed after 4hrs of unbroken driving.
iii. There is need to decentralize the concentration of Tank Farms within the same location and accessibility in Lagos as well as close down the illegal ones.
iv. Indiscriminate parking of vehicles along the highways (road shoulders) to be checked.
v. All deviant drivers should face the wrath of the law when apprehended.
vi. The state of the nation’s roads to be improved upon. The potholes to be mended while better network are to be constructed to ease traffic flows. Illegal location of markets and other road encroachments on the highways are to be eliminated.
vii. Continuous public enlightenment by FRSC at the centers where tankers and trailers load products or (Rest Areas).
viii. Setting up of task force to check on drivers’ activities especially to decongest Lagos’ Ports roads and at the rest areas, by stakeholders including FRSC.
ix. Commitment elicited from NNPC/Tank Farms of major independent marketers to insist on minimum standards by trucks that lift products: Ditto for cement companies, flour companies etc.
x. Ensuring stoppage of indiscriminate parking along the highways (road shoulders).
xi. Full compliance with the Road Transport Safety Standardization Scheme (RTSSS) provisions.
xii. Implementation of the Maximum Road Speed Limiter for Vehicles should commence with subtle enforcement (with no booking) from 1st June, 2015 and full compliance effective 1st September, 2015.
xiii. All haulage drivers should respect road traffic regulations and traffic Officers to stem constant conflicts on the highways.
c. Institutional Capacity
i. Training / retraining of tankers and trailers drivers need to be intensified and sustained. This should be done in conjunction with FRSC
ii. There is the urgent need for renewal of petroleum tankers and other haulage vehicles the through Fleet Acquisition Renewal Scheme with collaboration with financial institutions i.e Bank of Industry or the Infrastructure Bank.
iii. Urgent need for Life Insurance for all Nigerians for ease of compensation of citizens in case of loss of lives in road crash incidence.
iv. Modernization of law enforcement (personnel and equipment) – training and re-training, and logistics enhancement to ensure more effective discharge of duties.
v. Need to repair broken down petroleum pipelines to ensure decentralization of supplies.
vi. Re-introduction of the weigh bridges to check excess axle loads.
vii. Government to prohibit importation of substandard and fairly used tyres, (Tokunbo), ditto for sub-standard vehicle spare parts.
viii. Dedication to tankers/trailers crash investigation by FRSC.
ix. Government to utilize other Ports in the Federation so as to decongest Lagos Ports.
x. State Governments to relocate markets away from highways as a matter of urgency and provide standard garages and Rest Areas.
d. Legal
i. Best time for tankers and trailers movement has become a necessity and should be established given the high density of vehicles on Nigeria roads and possible havoc of crashes.
ii. Prosecution of recalcitrant haulage drivers to be intensified by all law enforcement agencies.
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