Road safety bill should take care of drivers' working conditions: Experts
Road safety experts have now raised the demand of 'effective implementation of protecting the livelihood of drivers.'
By Dipak K Dash, TNN |
NEW DELHI: Drivers of commercial vehicles, particularly trucks, over-dimensional vehicles and buses, are blamed for large number of road deaths in India. Moreover, despite the government records showing that 36% of fatalities involve such vehicles and over 20% across the globe happen due to "driver fatigue", hardly any employer or fleet owner follows the laws including maximum working hours, minimum wages and mandatory weekly off for them.
Considering how the fleet owners have preferred to ignore these legal provisions because of poor enforcement, road safety experts have now raised the demand of "effective implementation of protecting the livelihood of drivers" and enforcement of the stipulated "working hours" for drivers. They have demanded that the Bill for Road Transport and Safety to be introduced during winter session must include all these provisions.
According to a sample survey of drivers by Institute of Road Traffic Education ( IRTE) in 2013, about 29% drivers were found suffering from sleeping problem. The main reason behind this was driving beyond stipulated hours. The Motor Transport Workers Act says that no driver should be made to work more than eight hours a day and 48 hours a week. In case of exceptions (long routes), they can be asked to drive for 10 hours per day and 52 hours a week.
It also specifies that a driver is entitled to 30 minutes rest after every five hours drive. But all these norms are hardly respected.
"The success of the Bill hinges not only on penalties and punishment of drivers, but also on the effective implementation of the legal provisions under Motor Transport Workers Act. The Bill should incorporate the provisions including laying down the duty and liability of common carriers, transport firms and the fleet owners," said S P Singh of IFTRT, a transport think tank.
Even truckers associations have highlighted in the recent years how about 16%-18% trucks are standing idle because of drivers' shortage. Low wages are seen as one of the main reasons.
According to reports, even the American Trucking Associations has estimated shortage of about 30,000 truckers nationwide and it is to touch two lakh in the next decade.
"Only when the drivers have a respectable life and they get all mandated benefits, more people will join. Enforcement of rules is the responsibility of both Centre and state governments," Singh said.
Considering how the fleet owners have preferred to ignore these legal provisions because of poor enforcement, road safety experts have now raised the demand of "effective implementation of protecting the livelihood of drivers" and enforcement of the stipulated "working hours" for drivers. They have demanded that the Bill for Road Transport and Safety to be introduced during winter session must include all these provisions.
According to a sample survey of drivers by Institute of Road Traffic Education ( IRTE) in 2013, about 29% drivers were found suffering from sleeping problem. The main reason behind this was driving beyond stipulated hours. The Motor Transport Workers Act says that no driver should be made to work more than eight hours a day and 48 hours a week. In case of exceptions (long routes), they can be asked to drive for 10 hours per day and 52 hours a week.
It also specifies that a driver is entitled to 30 minutes rest after every five hours drive. But all these norms are hardly respected.
"The success of the Bill hinges not only on penalties and punishment of drivers, but also on the effective implementation of the legal provisions under Motor Transport Workers Act. The Bill should incorporate the provisions including laying down the duty and liability of common carriers, transport firms and the fleet owners," said S P Singh of IFTRT, a transport think tank.
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Even truckers associations have highlighted in the recent years how about 16%-18% trucks are standing idle because of drivers' shortage. Low wages are seen as one of the main reasons.
According to reports, even the American Trucking Associations has estimated shortage of about 30,000 truckers nationwide and it is to touch two lakh in the next decade.
"Only when the drivers have a respectable life and they get all mandated benefits, more people will join. Enforcement of rules is the responsibility of both Centre and state governments," Singh said.
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