THE government has relaxed the requirement of experience for getting a heavy vehicle driving licence, a compromise with the transport leaders’ demand that goes against the government’s promise made during the student protests demanding road safety. The Road Transport and Bridges Ministry’s circular in this regard on Sunday said now a person holding a light vehicle driving licence for three years can apply for a heavy vehicle driving licence. Earlier, one would have required at least six years of experience to secure such a licence. The latest move would jeopardise road safety. The inadequate number of driving schools and the complex process of getting licences might be the prime reasons for twisting the decision. Transport leaders had long been demanding the government to reduce the experience requirement for heavy vehicle driving licences. The demand grew stronger after the government in November last year went to implement the relatively tougher Road Transport Act-2018.
The relaxation of experience came just two weeks after the government waived the late fines for vehicle owners and drivers who failed to update their documents on time. Exempting the vehicle owners and drivers from late fines was also one of the major demands of transport workers when they enforced strikes in some districts in November last year, protesting the implementation of the Road Transport Act. Following the protests, the government decided to go for relaxed implementation of several sections of the law till June this year. In the face of the demand for transport owners and workers’ leaders, the government in August 2018 relaxed the experience requirement for getting heavy and medium-sized vehicle driving licences.
The move to lower the experience requirements to get heavy vehicle licenses will help to legalise the drivers who ply heavy vehicles on the highways. In other words, it’s nothing but the bowing down of the government to the mafia-dominated transport sector.
