The Lagos State Government says it would begin enforcement of a section of the road traffic law which restricts commuter bus drivers from driving for more than eight hours at a stretch daily.

Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Kayode Opeifa disclosed this at the weekend at a news conference heralding the National Council on Transportation conference which kicked off today and would end on Friday at the Lagos City Hall, Lagos, southwest Nigeria.

According to Opeifa, section 44 of the Road Traffic Law bars commuter bus drivers from driving for eight hours at a stretch, saying that government would begin enforcement of the new law in January 2014.

He said many commuter bus drivers did not know that such a pprovision exists in the traffic law, saying that the next phase is to register all commuter bus drivers, conductors and owners of such vehicles so that through the registration, the drivers could be monitored effectively to ensure compliance with the 8 hours work rule and other aspects of the traffic law.
•A commuter bus, popularly known as Danfo, along Agidingbi road this morning

•A commuter bus, popularly known as Danfo, along Agidingbi road this morning

Opeifa warned that by January next year, government would not have mercy on any bus driver who failed to register, as his vehicle would be impounded for breaching the traffic law.

“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. Commercial drivers and their conductors would also begin to appear in registered uniform and badges for proper identification by the public.

“To be regulated also is the number of passengers who stand in the buses particularly, the Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, while no commercial vehicle would be allowed to ply routes not registered for by the government.

“Smoking and eating while driving within the state would attract N20, 000-N30,000 in accordance with the provision of the law for first and second offenders respectively,” Opeifa stated.

According to him, this development is to sustain security and safety already established in the state by the state traffic law, adding that accreditation of the owners of the commuter buses was to ensure that all operators were captured in government’s data base to curtail atrocities and crimes committed with the use of unregistered commercial vehicles.

“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.

“Also, the situation where the drivers and their conductors dress shabbily would be checked with the introduction uniform and badges for them. We are also re-introducing routine system for them. They will only ply only route boldly written on their buses,” he said.

On the 13th National Council on Transportation meeting being hosted by Lagos, Opeifa said the programme was organised to ensure adequate improvement in the transportation system, identify opportunities within the sector and promote various modes of transportation.

The commissioner disclosed that the theme of this year’s conference is: Transformation of Transport Infrastructure: Catalyst for Socio-Economic Growth.

The conference by the council, which comprises all commissioners of transportation in Nigeria, would be chaired by the Minister of Transport, while Governor Babatunde Fashola would be the chief host of the event.

He said the event would be in two sessions-the technical and the National Council meeting, saying that the technical session would be headed by the Federal Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation.

Opeifa said the state government had made adequate preparations to ensure that this year’s meeting was unique as many private organizations were partnering with the government in this regard.

http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2013/11/11/govt-restricts-danfo-drivers-to-8-hrs-of-work/

How much can eight hours of commercial driving fetch the common man? Fifty percent of the period is dedicated to traffic and queues at the bus park. I knew this would happen when BRT was introduced in Nigeria. I agree to eating and smoking fine.

Back to the eight hour work policy, who shall be the timekeeper for the drivers? Will the odometer be monitored per trip or how? Most of the
Vanagon buses are even analogue in terms of configuration. In short, this policy has a lot of gap and lacuna.What is the policy of overloading of these bus?

Anyway, I am impressed with the follow-up on the Lagos State Traffic Law by this Commissioner. In short, if he can curtail the excesses of these operators - Okada riders, Keke riders and commercial bus drivers, I foresee a likely successor to Governor Fashola.

8hrs a day ? Now thats a laugh, the wives of danfo drivers will make sure such a policy never works all the same, im quite impressed with the route enforcement policy which is long over due.

Make fash calm down ó, ejo´´.

lwkmd4ho

What if a danfo driver drives more than one bus? He drives bus A for 8hrs plying route 1, bus B for another 8hrs plying route 2?

Abeg they should make it fast so all this long hill traffic will be reduce, but same rule shouldn't apply to danfo drivers alone why will only poor suffer everything that gose wrong in this nation ? Other veichle should put in check too many private cars ? U will never know where they are going ... May God help us

Sounds like a plan. What are the exact steps they want to take? Are there going to be shifts? Is the government going to install more street lights so nights can be brighter? Are they going to look into the issue of overcrowding and over charging of fares? If they do implement the law will drivers have to pay touts and LASTMA at EVERY bus stop from whatever they can accumulate from 8 hours of work? Since the drivers are working less hours, will the state governtment reduce the prices of the numerous stickers they have to purchase? Most of these drivers own their vehicles and are therefore self employed, what right does the government have to dictate their working hours in the first place? Will the police stop collecting bribes from the drivers? We need to be enlightened a bit more about this

good measure to reduce road accidents due to drowsiness

d end is near

EKOO ONI BAJE OOO

Good thinking i must say, by The way did u school in lagos??

pastormustwac: What if a danfo driver drives more than one bus? He drives bus A for 8hrs plying route 1, bus B for another 8hrs plying route 2?

8hrs? Oh really? I have just one question, when does it start and when does it end? Cuz by 4am you have lagosians trying to get to work in a bid to bit traffic and get there early. If its 8hrs, from 4am by 11am work ends? No buses? Did people really sit to think about it? I'm lost, this is a very ill-thought out plan sorry to say. It makes absolute no sense.. None what so ever.. So when does the 8hrs end? And what happens to the citizens stranded on the road? Citizens who do not own cars? This is a joke. A bad joke.

Nonsense law.

How do u check d 8hrs? Lagos state govt is just after taxing ppl with dia dragon laws. This is another opportunity for touts in uniform to fleece hardworking transporter. Expect rise in crime when u restrict danfo to 8hrs. Ppl dat hit road as early as 4am and close by 11pm daily and still complain of low turn over.

BTW have they implemented the uniform for danfo drivers policy they brot last year? Mtcheeeeew! FashOLE!

SLIDE waxie: The 8hrs can't work in lagos..though, its a nice concept, but it won't work in lagos.

Abt bus plying their registered routes, that is long overdue..it shld be enforced.

But the eight hrs na wahala...

What is nice abt this? Fashola is just doing rubbish,he banned okadas without making provision for them,these things ar having negative effect on the masses,8hrs for what? #rubbish concept #stupid idea.leave dem alone if dey can work 4 24hrs its none of his biz,let dem b registered #dats all.which danfo go con dey carry us go house? #oshi goverment #cant wait to cast my vote for any other party come 2015,we've had enuf of AD/AC/ACN/APC in lagos state, we nid a change.

End time things!

Still watching y'all on 3D...

Super Story!

They said eight hours at a stretch. The drivers can drive for eight hours, then rest for maybe an hour, then continue driving. Read peepo, READ

These dumb leaders just keep making life difficult for the common people in Nigeria they keep reducing job opportunities and making Nigeria more rigid and almost impossible to survive.
Now here is the fact everyone has his elastic limit despite the fact that most Nigerias are intimidated by the system of government we Practice "government of intimidation and threat not democracy" someday Nigerias will bounce back and this country will finally divide.

All we read and hear everyday is clamp down on those who carry out legitimate means of livelihood. Nobody is talking about the same traffic law that prohibits the national union and their Agbero counterparts from forcefully collecting money from commercial motorists at every bus stops, highways and places other than major garages. Or have that part of the law been put on hold until after 2015 election.

mike404: EKOO ONI BAJE OOO

Oun pe.....dem tell u say lagos spoil b4?

I wonder how the want to monitor it. Whether Lagos state plans to place a micro chip on each bus to count the number of hours ?

And what is the start time ? How feasible is it especially in a society where people work for more than 8 hours ? It means that if I leave for work at 5 am with a bus, it means by 2pm I can not get home because buses have closed for the day

So will Lagos State organise a sort of shift where some bus drivers will work in the morning and some in the evening ? In a place like Lagos where U can spend up to 2hrs in traffic, that means the day is already gone.