Operators ignore passenger registration
IT is worrying that public passenger transporters are not complying with the requirement to have registers on their buses as a way of taking account of all the commuters on board, Kitwe Mayor Christopher Kang’ombe has lamented.
Mr Kang’ombe said it was unfortunate that bus operators had no idea of other measures that had been put in place to fight the pandemic.
He was speaking in an interview.
“We implore the media to help heighten sensitisation amongst members of the general public so that the virus can be defeated. I have also observed with sadness that some commuters also do not know that they have to wash their hands before getting on any bus,” Mr Kang’ombe said.
The bus operators explained to the Daily Nation that they were not aware that they were required to have registers for the commuters in case of corona virus infection.
One operator, Joseph Kasope, said that he was aware of hand sanitisers, soap and water to be provided to commuters before they board but did not know about the need to have registers.
He however wondered how the registers would work, considering the high number of people boarding buses and the distance of travel on local routes.
“We feel the issue of registers does not apply to us local drivers, because look at how people get on our buses and the distances they travel. We will not manage to write all the names of people that board and the points we drop them at,” Mr Kasope complained.
He said bus operators would only manage to provide water and detergents to the commuters.