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Road Transport Protocols for Interstate Travel

On June 29th 2020, the federal government announced the lifting of the interstate travel ban in Nigeria. For weeks we watched the NCAA roll out their airline protocols while FAAN listed COVID precautionary measures at airports. We have mentioned all these previously in this column, even after domestic flights resumed.
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What we didn’t share was the safety measures for road transport companies and travellers. We know that the interstate travel ban for commercial vehicles since April 23rd 2020 affected our GDP in the tune of about N200 billion. Though essential services being allowed to move between states, the police were at certain checkpoints to enforce precautionary COVID protocols. As the economy opens up, there is a projected increase in fares because of the adoption of the COVID precautionary protocols put in place to ensure everyone travels safely during this pandemic. Since July 1st 2020, many road transport companies have been back in business, howbeit slow. While it is still best not to travel, there are guidelines to ensure the safety of road travellers. Below are some of those guidelines:
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It is important to note that while all these guidelines have been issued by the Ministry of Works and Transport in Nigeria; it is up to the transport companies to enforce them. While some states take these guidelines very seriously, others do not. Some people have travelled within curfew hours but got stuck at a police checkpoint where they had to stay till the approved hour to continue their journey. Others have been to travel parks where the rules are not mandatory besides the physical distancing. These are risks so many road users will take to get back to their routines. Have you travelled to any state via road transport during the pandemic? Tell us what your experience was like in the comments.   References: BBC Pidgin Vanguard NG BusinessDay.NG   Featured image source: TVC News
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