Give us more time on logbook use—Moam

 Minibus Owners Association of Malawi (Moam) in conjunction with Transport Association has asked the Directorate of Road Traffic and Safety Ser vices to consider giving them time to sensitise their drivers on the reintroduction of logbooks.

The associations made this request yesterday during a stakeholders meeting held in Blantyre.

Transport Association chairperson Moses Chauluka said it was sad that some law enforcers have already started giving fines to drivers who are failing to produce logbooks before engaging all stakeholders.

He said: “We had two meetings with Road Traffic which are yet to be concluded. We asked them to first remove illegal operating taxis from the road so that our business should not be affected with the coming of logbooks.

“To our surprise, we are getting reports that our drivers are being fined for failing to produce logbooks. We have agreed to stop using the logbook until our grievances are resolved.”

Moam chairperson Peter Mvalo claimed the reintroduction of logbooks will kill their business.

“We are not pleased with the fines our drivers are paying for failing to produce logbooks as well as many spot-checks on the road that delay minibuses to reach their destinations,” he said.

A minibus driver Gerson Mthunya, who operates between Blantyre-Zomba and Ntcheu, claimed examiners forfeited his licence at Chingeni toll plaza when he failed to produce the logbook.

He said: “I was coming from Ntcheu and as I was approaching Chingeni toll plaza, I met the examiners who asked me to produce a logbook.

“They forced me to buy the logbook. After I bought the logbook, they refused to give back my licence and instead fined me K20 000.”

Responding to the complaint raised by the associations, Road Traffic public relations officer Angellina Makwecha said the meeting with the association was not a matter of agreeing with them but sensitising them about the enforcement of existing regulations governing Public Service Vehicle operations.

She said : “ T h e regulations regarding use of logbooks are not new and actually the engagement with them was part of sensitisation about our intention to commence enforcing the use of the same.

“Road Traffic had already printed adequate logbooks for all operators which they could easily access through our operational centres across the country.”

Makwecha said the Road Traffic also wanted to inform them about strategies they felt will help reduce road traffic crashes involving public service vehicles.

“You can agree with me that procrastination on matters of saving lives will never be an option,” she said.

Makwechaal so emphasised that the devel opment is not intended to make operations of public service vehicles difficult, but to ensure that there is safety for the travelling public as well as their valuable properties.