HOW UNPAINTED CARS CAN OPERATE IN ABUJA -DRTS.. IMPOUNDS OVER 20 VEHICLES 03-05-24
By Sadiq Aminu The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA says private cars owners can operate taxi services without having to paint such vehicles.
This is contrary to the belief that only owners of painted taxes are legally permitted to operate in the nation’s capital.
Interested private car owners have therefore been advised to go through laid down procedures.
Some of the processes include proper registration of the private cars with relevant bodies and acquisition of unique identification and vehicle plate number for their vehicles.
The Head of Operations, FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Service, Deborah Osho made this known during clampdown on illegal taxi operators in Abuja.
Osho said: “DRTS has a scheme called e-hailing, under which you have Uber and Bolt, among others.
“You will have a unique number plate that will be given to you. Your vehicle may not be painted but you are registered with NIMC and DRTS; and there is no way you can be involved in one chance because we and other relevant agencies will have your data.
“If you want to be a taxi driver, be a driver with painted taxi, and if you want to be an e-hailing driver, go through the processes and get a unique number plate, where you will be seen. You can now not paint your vehicles, but we have all your details, all your data with us, which we can use to trace you in the event of any eventualities.”
she warned: “If you cannot go through that process to become an e-hailing driver, then you choose to do other business.
“It is not by force to put your vehicle on the road unpainted and then you continue causing nuisance on the road….you are not registered with the unions, not registered with anybody, you are even a suspect.
“You can even use your vehicle for one chance and we will not be able to trace it, because we might not have your data on our platform. And that is the reason why we are arresting unpainted taxi operators”, he further explained.
According to her, about twenty vehicles were impounded during the operations which took place in Area 3, Apo Interchange under the bridge and the Three Arms Zone, saying the defaulting drivers would face mobile court for prosecution.
The Head of Operations, FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Service frowned at indiscriminate motor parks in the city and warned operators to use only designated parking lots to pick and drop passengers.
Earlier, Secretary, Command and Control Unit, FCTA department of Security Services, Dr. Peter Olumuji expressed the commitment if the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike and the FCT Commissioner of Police, Benneth Igweh to securing lives and property in the FCT.
According to him, the duo have zero tolerance for illegal parks and unpainted taxis in Abuja, noting that their operations fuelled kidnappings and one-chance criminal activities in the city.
Dr. Olumuji who noted that security in the FCT had improved tremendously, stated that government would not relent in its efforts to secure residents and the territory.