Kombi crews must be trained on customer care- Chief

CHIEF Gampu has asked the government to provide a platform for the training of the commuter omnibus crews in the handling of their customers as a way of resolving the road carnage in the country.

Speaking in parliament Gampu said  there are many things that can be done in trying to solve the problems on the roads.

"I was thinking that as a way of trying to control especially the commuter omnibuses that are causing too many accidents, there is need to create a school whereby we can teach them customer care," he said.

"There has to be associations that will be controlling all the drivers who are driving public transport. For example, if there is a driver who is over speeding or not treating customers well, that can be reported to the members of the association. If we take note of ZUPCO, they used to train all their drivers before the driver has been hired or after, so that they are told all the rules of the company and how to treat the customers. I think this will be a noble idea. The reason why we are having too many accidents is because of lack of having such associations."

Gampu said once they have them, they should be known publicly for it will be easy for members to report any of the drivers who are speeding on the roads.

"I know we are all aware of the driver who overran a Girls' High School pupil and we have seen that the courts have sentenced the driver in jail. This is a lesson to other drivers who are driving public transport. It is a way of sensitising them that if you break the rules of the road, you will be accountable to it," he said.

"Another thing that I think would assist is that if all the public transport is written hotline numbers at their back, the driver who will be following that car can easily report or phone the hotline number. We have seen in other countries like South Africa that they have the hotline numbers."

He said this would assist n trying to curb the public transport drivers who are misusing the roads.

"It will assist those who are using public transport as well and we should know that we have the right to control the driver who will be driving public transport. We can actually stop them from speeding if they are carrying us," Gampu said.

"I know and I believe that if the citizens of the country are educated on their rights as citizens, they actually have the right to stop the driver from overspeeding.  Most of the times, after an accident has happened, the passengers will start saying but we saw this coming or we talked to the driver about his speed.  My question is that you will be inside that car and you are saying that the driver is speeding but you are not doing anything about it.  If we take for example Botswana, we will realise that if a driver is overloading, the passengers are the ones who will actually stop him from overloading."

 The Chief said he believe if the Government could assist in educating all citizens that they have the right to say their views over the public transport that they are using.

"For example, if the driver of that public transport is not treating the passengers well or speeding, they have the right to tell him to drive properly.  I know this will help a lot.  We may not be part of the passengers in each and every public transport that has been driven but if all the citizens are educated on their rights when it comes to public transport, this will help in reducing the number of carnages on the roads," the Chief said.

"In Bulawayo, public transporters have associations such as Tshova Mubaiwa, Butra and Transit.  So, when a passenger is not treated well by the driver or the conductor, one can call on the number displayed at the back or inside the car.  The Association will then call the driver for disciplinary measures."

"All the drivers who are working under those Associations now know the rights of the passengers and they do not insult or mistreat the passengers.  It helps sometimes even when we have the lost and founds, you can easily call the associations and you will be able to retrieve your goods. If we try to really emphasise on such associations, we will have control over all the public transport drivers."

Gampu said another thing that will assist is to train all public transport drivers and conductors, especially for the heavy vehicles.

"I know that they have seen and copied the system that is being used in Bulawayo.  However, in every situation there has to be someone who is a leader.
One last thing that I would highlight is the issue of age limit which is 25 years when it comes to drivers of public service vehicles.  Ever since it was introduced, we realised that the number of accidents that have been happening has actually reduced," he said.

"Another thing that I would like our country to introduce is having points that can be given to the drivers. If they have done well, they should be given some points and if they are not doing well the points are reduced.  For example, in Australia, we realised that out of 12 points, when you go through a red robot, three points are reduced and if all the drivers; that is everybody who drives, if you have your licence, it will be given points, so when you fail to drive properly on the roads, they will be reduced."