12th November, 2013
The Lagos State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede, has advised drivers of commuter buses popularly called danfo in the state not to panic or entertain any fear over the state government’s plan to enforce a portion of the road traffic law which restricts drivers from driving for more than eight hours at a stretch daily.
Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Kayode Opeifa had told journalists at a news conference that the state government would begin the enforcement of the eight hours restriction in January 2014.
Reacting to the government position, Agbede explained that there was nothing new in the law as drivers in the state had been using ‘shift’ method to reduce stress before the state government came up with the law.
“I don’t see anything new in the eight hours work per day for commuter bus drivers. Already, most drivers work on shift basis. A driver on morning shift will drive from 6 a.m. till 12 p.m. and a driver on afternoon shift will work from 12 p.m. till 7 p.m., while those on night shift drive from 7 p.m. till 10 p.m. That has been the practise and it was meant to give drivers and conductors time to relax and rest,” Alhaji Agbede stated.
He clarified that the law did not say that drivers should not work beyond 8 p.m. “The traffic law did not say drivers should not work beyond 8 p.m.,” he stressed.
On the issue of driver’s uniform and conductor’s badge, Agbede explained that discussion on them is ongoing with the state government, adding that drivers should not panic over it.