Kasama transporters object to ban on trucks ferrying passengers

Some transporters in Kasama have appealed to government to re-consider its decision to ban trucks from ferrying people from one point to another.

 

Speaking on behalf of other transporters, Morgan Sampa said the terrain in certain parts of Northern Province is very bad and cannot be accessed by luxury vehicles.

 

Mr Sampa observed that many people in rural areas depend heavily on trucks and other open vans for transport and will be negatively affected if they are no transporters to service their areas.

 

He said instead of the police effecting arrests on drivers ferrying people in trucks, government should intensify sensitisation campaigns among motorists in order to enhance road safety on roads.

 

Mr Sampa also complained that most transporters shun certain areas due to the bad state of the road network leading to such places.

 

Another transporter, Victor Musonda, said places like Mporokoso, Nsama and Kaputa districts were hard-to-reach areas due to poor state of roads and were only accessible by heavy trucks.

 

Mr Musonda said it is, therefore, unfair for people living in these areas to be inconvenienced when traveling owing to lack of reliable transport.

 

He claimed that some mini-buses and cars usually breakdown while trying to access remote areas hence the need to allow trucks in good conditions to service such places.

Recently, Home Affairs Deputy Minister, Panji Kaunda, directed law enforcement agencies in the country to arrest and prosecute drivers found ferrying people in trucks and open vans to prevent road accidents.