The Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, Enugu State Sector has cautioned transporters in the State against compromising safety and standard specifications.
The warning came amidst revelation by the regulator that only three transporters in the State have current certification.
It, therefore, called on various categories of transporters in the State to vigorously pursue the process of obtaining their operator certificate.
According to the commission, the Peace Mass Transit Limited (PMT) is the only large transport company in Enugu State whose standard met the official specifications for the renewal of its operator’s certificate.
For this feat, PMT became the only fleet operator in category “A” which was awarded a “fleet operators certificate”.
The Sector commander, Edward Zainbe, represented by the Deputy Commandant of FRSC in the State, Evaristus Ebeniro, made the presentation of the certificate to PMT at the Sector Command headquarters, Enugu.
The Lords Express, a new transport company and the Holy Rosary College, HRC, Enugu also received certifications in the lesser and school categories.
The Sector Commander said it was not a surprise that only very few establishments got the certification for last year, because the standard required had been raised, and officers involved in the verification of compliance were now more professional and meticulous.
He said the Corps Safety Standardization Office (CSSO), was specifically established to drive the standardization culture into the sub-conscious of transport operators, and that officers in charge routinely went round to dispassionately access the level of compliance of all operators.
Operators with three or more vehicles were covered in the assessment, he said, adding “I am happy that only few operators passed this test last year; it is very commendable”.
“What it means also,” he went on, “is that we have worked so hard, and I say congratulations to the recipient.”
He charged successful operator not to rest on their oars, since the assessment exercise was continuous.
“It is not a permanent seal of approval, if you get it this year and go to sleep, you lose it the next.
“In any human endeavour, when you get to the top, it requires a lot more efforts to remain on top”, he added.
Executive Director of PMT, Timothy Ugwu, received the certificate for his company, while Engineer Raphael Agu, and Willy Agunta, represented HRC, and Lord’s Express, respectively.
Mr. Ugwu expressed PMT’s preparedness to continue to invest in infrastructure and facilities that would enhance safety of its passengers and workers and also position it at the top as the market leader in the road transport sub-sector.
“The measures we have put in place have substantially reduced road accidents and facilities at our parks have also brought about more comfort and value for money for our esteemed customers and we won’t relent until we can compare with what obtains in developed parts of the world,” the Executive Director said.
Engineer Agu was happy that the efforts of HRC, in the school category, in the maintenance of its fleet, some of which, he said, dated back to the 70s, was receiving acknowledgement from high quarters, like the FRSC.
Agunta said Certifications of Lord’s Express, a new transport company, by FRSC, was an indication that the company was moving in the right direction.
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