DELIVERY MOTORBIKES: FCTA SUSPENDS PLANNED ENFORCEMENT

By: Kalu Emetu

Following pleads from stakeholders in the delivery service industry for extension of time in the implementation of the use of high capacity 200CC motorcycle for delivery service in the Federal Capital Territory, the FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services, (popularly called VIO) has suspended the exercise till the end of the year.

The Director, Dr. Abdul-Lateef Bello made the pronouncement during a meeting with stakeholders at the Directorate’s headquarters, Mabushi District, Abuja.
The Director told the representatives of the FCT Logistics Owners and Riders Associations that the waiver ends with the year as the use of the 200CC motorbikes with four strokes was said to be stable on the highway and environmentally friendly as it completely burns carbon it emits.

Abuja Digest reports that the enforcement exercise was earlier scheduled to commence on Tuesday 2nd August, 2022, but was stepped down based on pleads by the industry representatives, including, a young student entrepreneur who had invested much and owns seven motorcycles that are plying FCT roads for logistics business.

Dr. Bello warned that his job is to save situations in the interest of the FCT residents, and therefore, urged the operators in the industry not to allow themselves to be intimidated by any situation they find themselves as they complained of the economic situation.

The Director further warned that the waiver does not include other aspects of the enforcement which he noted will be scalable based on level of compliance to all the things expected of riders and owners of the business.

Accordingly, other areas that are still enforceable within the stipulated time are the possession of Riders Certification Card, RCC; use of reflective jackets and kits for impact reduction during accident, he added.

Similarly, motorcycles used for delivery must not carry any passenger apart from the rider and the box which must have the name of the company boldly written on it and must not convey any item that is more than 50kg or allow the box to be open, Dr. Bello stressed.

The Director acknowledged the fact that the business has come to stay but noted the need for it to be regulated if it must thrive.

His words: “Motorcycle delivery service is seen by many as emerging threat, I can bring out many dailies and you people can share in this impression, it is a growing impression and it is a dent on the business.”

The objective for regulation, the Director said was not to punish anybody but to raise the bar with which they operate and those of them in the business are the ones that will benefit from it. According to him, imagine someone is going to deliver an item at Kubwa from the city center and he has to use the expressway to compete with other vehicles, including the heavy trucks on the road.

Dr Bello had earlier reminded everyone at the meeting that we all make up the economy and none will claim to own it more than the other and the need for all to work together to have an organised environment all of us will equally be proud of.