By Oluwabunmi Ogunjimi
The leadership of the Lagos Branch of the Nigeria Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) has called on members to maintain strict compliance with operational and safety standards to safeguard the lives of their drivers and protect their investments.
In a statement by the Lagos Branch Chairman, Alhaji Kayode Odunowo, enjoined members to ensure that they secure a legitimate and active E-Call Up ticket before approaching any port access point adding that movement without a valid ticket will not be tolerated.
Odunowo also said members must jealously protect your ticket by way of locking on the Electronic Call Up system otherwise known as ETO.
He also called on members to strictly adhere to due process, port access regulations, traffic management guidelines and safety standards in the course of their operations.
Odunowo in a safety and operational compliance directive to members, urged cargo haulers to strictly observe their assigned pre-gate time belts, stressing that early or late arrivals could disrupt the system and create unnecessary congestion.
NARTO also advised members to exit the Export Processing Terminal (EPT) promptly once their slots were called, warning against overstaying within the facility.
The association further urged truck operators to regularly check the Empty Containers Manifest to ascertain the shipping lines and containers admissible into the ports on any given day. It noted that the measure would help prevent wasted trips and unnecessary delays.
Members were also advised to take note of port gate closure times and plan their movements accordingly to ensure they arrive within stipulated operational hours.
On traffic management, NARTO appealed to members to maintain maximum orderliness while on queues, warning against indiscriminate parking, lane cutting and obstruction of public roads.
The association urged truckers not to block intersections, junctions or access roads leading to the ports, noting that disciplined queues would facilitate faster movement and improve overall traffic flow.
It further advised members whose trucks develop faults that cannot be immediately repaired to contact the association for timely evacuation and assistance.
On safety, NARTO described it as a collective responsibility of every driver, truck owner and operator, stressing that it must remain a non-negotiable priority.
The association urged members to conduct pre-trip and post-trip safety checks on their vehicles, with particular attention to headlights, brake and parking lights, braking systems, tyres and pressure, steering and suspension systems, fire extinguishers, first-aid kits, mirrors, windscreen wipers, horns and other warning signals.
For container-laden trucks, NARTO stressed the need to ensure that twist locks, also known as hooks, are properly secured before movement.
It also advised members to avoid late-night trips where they are uncertain about the safety or condition of their destinations. Drivers were further advised to stop and park in busy, secure areas if they notice unusual movements or suspicious activity behind their vehicles.
For members involved in the transportation of petroleum products, gas and other hazardous cargo, the association urged strict compliance with additional safety measures due to the elevated risks associated with such operations.
These measures include ensuring that safety valves and pressure relief systems are certified and functional, attaching anti-static grounding cables during loading and offloading, carrying adequate spill containment kits and testing emergency shut-off systems before every journey.
NARTO also urged tanker operators to ensure that vehicles are fitted with flameproof exhaust systems and spark arresters, while appropriate hazardous-material placards and emergency response markings must be clearly displayed.
The association called for zero tolerance for smoking, matches or naked flames within 50 metres of vehicles during loading, transit and offloading operations.
It further stressed the importance of driver training in emergency response procedures, including the management of product leaks, fire incidents and evacuation, as well as regular tank integrity testing to detect corrosion and other weaknesses.
NARTO warned that any lapse in wet-cargo safety could result in catastrophic loss of lives, property and damage to the environment, urging operators to avoid shortcuts in safety procedures.
Similarly, members involved in passenger transportation, including buses, coaches and mass transit operations, were urged to uphold the highest standards of safety and service delivery.
The association directed operators to ensure that drivers and passengers use functional seat belts, while passenger doors and emergency exits must be regularly tested and maintained.
It also called for the proper calibration and use of speed-limiting devices, strict driver fatigue management, compliance with passenger capacity limits and the avoidance of overloading.
