By Landing Colley
Dozens of commercial drivers have expressed dismay over government transportation rule that seeks to help contain the further spread of the deadly coronavirus.
The rule demands that drivers should carry half of the normal capacity of passengers of their vehicles.
But the rule has forced drivers to increase fares while some defies the rules and claimed that government is not giving them any supplement.
Momdou Jallow a commercial driver stated that “the decision taken by the government has affected me a lot due to lack of profits these days and also fuel price still remains the same.”
According to him, his vehicle normally carries 14 passengers and now that the government has conditioned them to carry half of the numbers it is not profitable “because there is no reduction in fuel pump, which does not favor me. So I decided to pack my vehicle,” Jallow said.
He added that packing the vehicle is not his wish but due to lack of profit and it is not advisable to go against the law.
Another commercial driver, Bakary Sanyang said the rule is not favourable to them as commercial drivers.
According to him, the said seven passengers that they have to carry cannot even afford the fuel they buy because the price of the fuel still remains the same, adding that the governments have to help them “because driving without profit has no use,” he complained.