The Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS) in the FCT says it will apply stiffer penalties on dispatch riders for violating traffic rules and regulations in the territory.

The service’s spokesman, Kalu Emetu, stated in an interview on Wednesday in Abuja that the development became imperative, having realised that all the measures put in place, such as payment of fines, did not yield the desired result.

He said the development informed the establishment of driving schools where they are trained when caught for non-compliance.

“There is no day we don’t correct up to at least 50 riders as a result of one offence or the other,” he said. “This has also prompted the service to stop registering more of the riders because of the nuisance they are constituting to the city.”

The spokesman said this was one of the measures the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), through the service, was putting in place to ease ways of doing business in the FCT.

He explained that whenever they are caught, the service writes to the company because the bike is not registered in their names with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

Mr Emetu explained that it was left for the company to check whether the rider was still fit to continue working with them.

“We have what is called a Riders Certification Card (RCC). So, once in a year, they are expected to come for training, and after the training, we give them the certificate to show that they undergo the correctional riding skill,” he said.

The spokesman added that all the measures were implemented to ensure they do the right thing by obeying traffic rules and regulations.

(NAN)