FRSC Stresses Importance Of Passengers Manifest To Travelers

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says that passengers manifest remains a vital document to ensure security and easy identification of each passenger in a commercial vehicle, especially those on inter-state journeys.

The passengers manifest is a document where the name, home address, phone number and destination of each passenger is entered before a commercial vehicle leaves a park or office.

The document also contains the passenger’s next of kin name and phone number.

The Sector Commander of FRSC Enugu State Command, Joseph Toby, made the call while speaking to newsmen in Enugu on the ongoing Free Safety Check days embarked by FRSC nationwide.

Toby said that the Free Safety Check was meant to increase road safety education and awareness of drivers plying roads without booking any offending driver between June 23 and June 26.

According to him, motor park operators, transport companies and fleet operators should know that filling of passengers manifest was imperative for every traveler.

He said even a baby traveling should have his details reflected in the document.

“We have clearly enlightened motor park operators, transport companies and fleet operators that every human being in their vehicle must be reflected in the passengers manifest.

“Anybody who fails to fill his or her details, should not travel in that vehicle. It is as serious as that.

“The passengers manifest remains a document necessary for security purpose. 

"God forbid, a security situation happens while on the journey and the need to ascertain some facts and figures concerning the passengers, the document becomes handy.

“It is a common knowledge that bad elements also carry out their evil intentions along the roads, and a passenger might fall victim.

“The document will also be of great help in identification, search and rescue during road crash, as well as contacting next of kins of a passenger when there are unfavourable developments.

“The corps wants to strengthen its surveillance and enforcement on passengers manifest in the state after the Free Safety Check days in order to check insecurity and ensure greater safety of everyone using the roads,” he said.

The commander advised travelers to desist from boarding vehicles along the roads, adding that boarding at a designated park or company and doing the needful by filling the passengers manifest remains a wise option.

“At times, you can easily be picked up by kidnappers and other evil people along the road and there is no one or place you go and complain to if you are lucky to be alive after the ordeal with the bad elements.

“Please, we should not be in a haste or unprepared on a journey due to lateness and it forces us to enter any vehicle along any the road. One’s safety should be first in mind,” he said.