THE FEDERAL ROAD SAFETY CORPS (FRSC): Courteousness as a caution for efficiency in pulling over, commuter buses

The Ositadinma Benjamin Chidoka led Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigeria has indeed witnessed a magnificent facelift since he remarkably took over in 2007, at the age 36. Since being at the helm of affairs of the FRSC, the discipline and approach to national service entrenched in the federal government institution charged with the primary responsibility of making the roads across the federation safe and accident free, is exemplary for other government agencies and paramilitary institutions, notably the Nigeria Police to follow suit.

These noted, more can be done in the area of Courteousness as a caution in checking against traffic offenders, with regards to the privately owned public buses which is due to the fact that from the man/woman to catch up with an interview, to the man having a presentation, to that heading to the office etc., these buses are usually boarded by individuals with different destinations, timing for destinations and purpose of destinations which in all have to be taken into consideration to ensure that their productivity is not marred.

Notably, every passenger in a bus, know nothing of the nature/status of the bus he or she is boarding, in addition to if the driver has got his papers right and complete and as thus, should not be made to pay for such, as this could be detrimental to the passengers ambition , future and project.

Where it all began: While on my way to work sometime around 7:30am on Tuesday, 19 February, 2013, the bus I boarded got pulled over by an FRSC official. With this incident, I immediately had a flashback to the previous week, as this was indeed a déjà vu. Then I said to myself, “ohhh, not again”. Interestingly, it was AGAIN.

Just like the previous week, the bus driver was ordered to alight, with his papers and his vehicle documents demanded. All these lasted some 20 minutes, inclusive of perambulating by the driver, all an annoyingly entailing no word said to the passengers. This got me asking if the FRSC official saw no one in the bus or perhaps saw goods.

Indeed, we deserved a brief, almost immediately the bus was pulled over, as this would have done one thing; SAVED US TIME.

Time by my standard is the most precious asset with 4 distinct features

• It is the only asset produced directly by God
• It is the only asset that cannot be altered/ changed or modified
• It is the only asset that when lost, cannot be regained and
• It is the only asset that when treated with respect, leads to more respect to one.

On the brief, words like; Good morning passengers, to ensure your safety and make our roads accident free, you will not be able to continue your journey with this bus, as this bus needs to be checked to gauge its road worthiness. Please bear with us, as the conductor would get another bus for you. Thank you…

Words like the aforesaid, followed up by the conductor getting a bus would not only SAVE TIME but indeed produce a sense of relief and confidence on the part of the passengers to the FRSC and its officials for indeed this is about the best measure of exuding that they are courteous in pulling cars over. 

These said, time is money, and as thus, time consciousness is pivotally an efficient tool in maximising productivity which is why the entirety of the FRSC need to ensure that in pulling over privately owned public buses with passengers, it is pivotal the passengers are communicated with and thereafter, an alternative provided for them to proceed with the journey.

This article is written based on the writer’s thought that ‘the inefficiency of one man, be it his/her fault or not, could delay a nation’s slow down productivity and the nation’s quest for economic advancement because indeed, such delay of this kind have in a great deal, adversely affected so many individuals.

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Image of a  popular commuter bus type (the yellow buses) in Lagos, Nigeria.