Experts task dispatch riders on safety, decry spate of accidents

Experts have urged motorcycle riders to be safety conscious while decrying the spate of accidents on roads.

Experts who gathered at the training of Courier/Logistics Dispatch Riders in Lagos organised by Total Workplace Safety Management Systems Limited (TWPS) stressed the need for riders to be certified and trained on customer relations.

Director-General, TWPS, Hakeem Dickson, said the accidents of bike riders are on the increase because the government is not checking them, stating that the government is not present in that sector.

Dickson who also doubles as the Immediate past director-general, Lagos Safety Commission, said the training is all about prevention, safety and the need for riders to be insured.

Chief Executive Officer, PushMobile Technology Limited, Adebayo Jayeola, said bike riders need to change their mindset on maintenance, customer relations and reporting.

Jayeola said a lot of the riders cannot write or read, they cannot maintain their bikes. No education or certification is attached to it, hence the need for the training and certification, either at a corporate or individual level.

In his words: “There are a lot of motorbike accidents and we want to avoid further occurrence. We are going to train riders on Health Safety and Environment, customer relations, bike maintenance and business intelligence and management.

“The logistics business would keep booming when e-commerce is thriving. I see the business as a booming one but we need to regulate accidents and quacks coming into the industry,” he added.

Speaking on bike maintenance and its importance, Test Centre Manager, of Agric-Isawo in Lagos Computerised Vehicle Inspection Service (LACVIS), Oluwadare Ojo, said a lot of people get a little lazy about motorcycle maintenance over time. To keep a bike in good running condition, periodic maintenance is extremely important.

Ojo said maintaining the bike regularly helps it to perform at its peak and ensures that riders enjoy safe problem-free riding. A lot of the basic servicing jobs are easy and can be carried out individually.