MTUC: Cards for drivers could speed up verification

PETALING JAYA: Issuing driver cards for express bus drivers could do away with the long routine and verification processes faced by the workers, says the Malaysian Trades Union Congress.

MTUC president Mohd Effendy Abdul Ghani said these drivers should possess cards typically issued to ehailing and taxi drivers by Land Public Transport Agency (APAD). Doing so, he said, could simplify the process of verification during routine checks, thus reducing potential inconveniences for the drivers

“Firstly, the driver cards could serve as a formal recognition of their qualifications and adherence to safety standards, potentially enhancing their professional image.

“The standardised cards could facilitate easier monitoring of driver qualifications, adherence to safety standards, and efficient regulation enforcement,” he added.

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“It might contribute to a more organised and accountable public transportation system, ensuring a higher level of trust and safety for passengers,” he said when replying to a suggestion by Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association president Datuk Mohamad Ashfar Ali to issue a drivers card to bus express drivers in 2009.

Mohd Effendy said a standardised identification system like the cards could streamline administrative processes for bus drivers.

“This can make it easier for them to comply with regulations and demonstrate their qualifications when needed,” he said.

“However, its success would hinge on effective collaboration between relevant authorities, bus operators and the regulatory bodies to establish and enforce appropriate guidelines,” he added.

Asean Trade Union Council president Datuk Abdul Halim Mansor said the cards would prevent bus operators from hiring drivers without proper documentation to pilot express buses.

“We need some sort of accountability from both sides,” he said.

“It will also secure job prospects for local bus drivers if the government makes it a requirement to display the cards,” he said.